BS  2825  .072  1922 

Osborn,  Thomas. 

The  lion  and  the  Lamb 


The  Lion  and 
the  Lamb 

A  Drama  of  the  Apocalypse 


By/ 
THOMAS  bSBORN 


THE  ABINGDON  PRESS 

NEW  YORK  CINCINNATI 


Copyright.  1922,  by 
THOMAS  OSBORN 


Printod  in  the  United  States  of  America 


The  Bible  text  used  in  this  volume  is  taken  from  the  American  Standard 
Edition  of  the  Revised  Bible,  copyright,  1901,  by  Thomas  Nelson  &  Sons, 
and  is  used  by  permission. 


TO 

My  Wife, 

who  has  been  a  constant 

inspiration  to  my  life, 

this  volume  is 

affectionately  dedicated 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Introduction 11 

Preface 17 

CHAPTER  I 

THE  PURPOSE 

Interpretation 23 

The  Author 23 

The  Time 25 

The  Place 26 

The  Occasion 28 

Emperor  Worship 30 

Internal  Evidence 33 

Morale  in  Trial 36 

The  Old  Testament 38 

The  Limited  Objective 39 

Numbers  Related  to  Time 41 

The  Thousand  Years 43 

Immediacy  of  Action 46 

''Prophecy" 48 

The   Apocalypse   Meets  the  Need  of  the 

Hour 50 

CHAPTER  II 

THE  FORM 

Form  Fundamental  to  Interpretation 55 

1.  Negative  Aspects: 

(1)  Not  a  pure  Apocalypse.  (2)  Not  Pre- 
dictive 'Trophecy."  (3)  Not  Pure  Prose. 
(4)  Not  Subject  to  a  Literal  Interpre- 
tation. 


6  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

2.  Positive  Aspects: 

(1)  Two  Characteristics .  (a)  Form  must 
not  excite  suspicion,  (b)  It  must  stim- 
ulate morale.  (2)  The  Romans  not  Pro- 
ficient in  the  Drama.  (3)  A  Flexible 
Form  Demanded.  (4)  Religious  Lessons 
Already  Taught  by  the  Drama.  (5)  A 
Disguised  Method. 
The  Main  Reasons  for  Considering  the 
Original  Apocalypse  a  Drama 65 

1.  Seen,  Heard,  and  Read, 

2.  Current  Tradition. 

3.  Action  and  the  Drama: 

(1)  Pillaged  Material.  (2)  Wickedness 
in  High  Places.  (3)  Natural  Forces  and 
Pests.  (4)  "Marks"  Versus  "Seals." 
(5)  Kings.  (6)  Kingdoms.  (7)  Thrones. 
(8)  Crowns.    (9)  Royal  Purple. 

4.  ^^ Enter  ChrisV^ — A  Dramatic  Necessity. 

5.  The  Dramatic  Chorus. 

6.  The  Dramatic  Vocabulary. 

7.  The  Dramatis  Personoe. 

The  Conclusion 86 

CHAPTER  III 

THE  POWER 

Power  the  Key  Word 89 

Cause  of  Suffering  to  Christians 90 

The  New  Power 91 

Man's  Double  Capacity 93 

Christ  and  the  New  Power 94 

Christ's  Choice 95 

Christ  and  Pilate 96 

The  Old  Hope 97 

The  Vocabulary  of  Power 98 


CONTENTS  7 

PAGE 

The  Symbol  of  Power 98 

Evil  Not  Minimized 98 

Angels  of  Power 100 

The  Book  of  Angels 100 

Power  Episodes 101 

The  Chorus  and  Power 104 

Voices  of  Power 106 

The  Power  of  Natural  Forces 107 

Outstanding  World  Forces 108 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  CONFLICT 

A  Book  of  Conflict 115 

The  Fighting  Book  of  the  New  Testament.  116 

Har-Magedon 117 

The  Old  Story  of  Evil 118 

Preparation  for  Conflict 119 

The  Real  Conflict 120 

The  Opening  Scene 121 

The  Conflict  in  Heaven 122 

T^E  Conflict  in  Earth 123 

Satan  and  the  Conflict 124 

The  Dark  Hour  in  the  Conflict 126 

The  Premonition  of  Renewed  Conflict.  ...  128 

The  Hiatus  in  Conflict 130 

Gog  and  Magog 131 

The  Final  Issue  of  the  Conflict 132 

CHAPTER  V 

THE  VICTORY 

Victory  High  Lights 137 

The  Defeat  of  Humanity 138 

Human  Helplessness 139 


8  CONTENTS 


PAGE 

The  Vision  op  Victoky 140 

The  Opening  Scene 140 

Hope  of  Return 142 

The  Victory  Book 143 

Ultimate  Victory 145 

Victory  Voices 145 

Death  and  Defeat 146 

Life  and  Victory 148 

Christ  and  Life 149 

Christ  the  Overcomer 150 

Christ's  First  Triumph 151 

Christ's  Trail  of  Triumph 152 

Victory  in  Heaven 154 

Victory  in  Earth 155 

Poetic  Justice  and  Victory 156 

Christ  the  Enthroned  Victor 157 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE 

The  Book  of  the  World's  Redemption  ...   163 

The  Old  Testament 163 

The  New  Testament 165 

John's  Gospel  and  Epistles 166 

The  Apocalypse 168 

1.  Christ  the  Redeeming  Lamb.  2.  The 
Sealed  Book  and  the  Slain  Lamb.  3.  The 
Angels  of  the  Bowls  and  the  Slain  Lamb. 

4.  The  Redeeming  Lamb  the  Basis  of  Victory. 

5.  The  Redemptive  Purpose  Older  Than  the 
Race.  6.  Redemption  Versus  Brute  Force. 
7.  Premillennialism  Dependent  Upon  Brute 
Force.  8.  The  Oppugnant  Cities.  9.  The 
Sharp  Contrast.  10.  The  Chorus  and  Re- 
demption. 11.  The  Names  of  Christ.  12. 
The  Lamb  on  the  Throne. 


CONTENTS  9 

CHAPTER  VII 
THE  DRAMA 

PAGE 

Act  I 

Earthly  Needs 201 

Scene  I.  Patmos.     The  Lord's  Day. 
The  Prologue. 

Act  II 

Heavenly  Origins 210 

Scene  I.     An  Open  Door  in  Heaven. 
Scene  II.  The  Earth. 

Act  III 

Heavenly  Help 221 

Scene  I.  The  Temple  of  God  in  Heaven  Is 

Opened. 
Scene  II.  The  Earth. 
Scene  III.  Mount  Zion. 
Scene  IV.  In  Heaven. 
Scene  V.  The  Earth. 
Scene  VI.  The  Wilderness. 
Scene  VII.  The  Open  Heaven. 
Scene  VIII.  The  Earth. 
Scene  IX.  The  New  Heaven  and  the  New 

Earth. 
Scene  X.  A  High  Mountain. 

APPENDICES 

Appendix  I.  A  Brief  List  of  Old  Testa- 
ment Sources 243 

Appendix  II.  A  Brief  List  of  Suggestive 
Words  Used  Which  Have 
Good  Dramatic  Capacity  . . .  253 

Index 257 


INTRODUCTION 

This  is  a  twice-born  book.  Its  first  birth 
was  in  the  Methodist  pulpit  at  Centerville, 
Iowa,  where  its  main  points  were  used  in  a 
series  of  sermons  by  the  pastor-author  for  the 
edification  of  the  flock  over  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  had  made  him  overseer.  It  was  born 
again  as  a  Conference  sermon  at  Muscatine, 
Iowa,  in  September,  1919.  I  was  present.  I 
heard  the  sermon.  Dr.  Osborn  fairly  took  my 
breath  by  announcing  the  whole  book  of  Reve- 
lation as  his  text !  I  said  to  myself,  "Here  is 
rashness."  For  this  last  book  of  the  Bible 
not  only  glows  with  splendor  unsurpassed  in 
any  literature,  but  is  crowded  with  things 
hard  to  be  understood.  Indeed,  it  has  been 
truly  said  that  the  book  of  Revelation  fur- 
nishes the  acid  test  of  an  expositor's  sanity. 
And  this  preacher  before  me  that  day  was  quite 
calmly  taking  the  whole  book  as  the  text  for  a 
single  sermon.  Where  learned  commentators 
were  dumb,  and  on  ground  trampled  hard  by 
the  rash  tread  of  hot-eyed  fanatics  rushing  to 
announce  wild  and  grotesque  interpretations 
this  man  was  preaching  a  sane,  spiritual,  and 
11 


12  INTRODUCTION 

consistent  exposition  of  this  book  of  mystery 
and  wonder,  and  actually  carrying  us  with  him 
straight  through  to  the  end  of  an  hour  of  men- 
tal and  spiritual  delight.  Of  many  of  us  who 
heard  on  that  memorable  day,  it  could  be  said, 

*^He  sat  mute  in  the  midst, 
The  whole  man  one  amaze." 

For  the  preacher  made  his  case.  We,  the  homi- 
letic  jury  (nearly  all  preachers),  gave  him  a 
verdict  unanimously. 

With  others,  I  insisted  that  he  put  the  argu- 
ment into  form  and  offer  it  to  the  Methodist 
Review.  On  further  thought,  it  became  clear 
that  it  would  require  more  space  than  the 
Review  could  give  to  advance  and  adequately 
support  the  theory  of  Revelation  which  the 
sermon  had  set  forth.  We  then  urged  publica- 
tion in  book  form.  The  result  is  in  your  hands. 
It  is  sent  forth  with  the  prayers  of  the  author 
and  of  all  of  us  who  have  believed  that  this  so- 
lution of  the  problems  presented  by  John  in 
his  Patmos  visions  should  be  accessible  to  all 
who  love  the  Word  of  God. 

As  a  contribution  to  the  study  of  this  most 
intricate  and  wonderful  book  of  the  Bible,  I 
may  claim : 

1.  Novelty. 

2.  Deep  spirituality. 


INTRODUCTION  13 

3.  Entire  consistency  and  cogency. 

4.  Infectious  and  well-reasoned  optimism. 

5.  Freedom  from  the  fanciful  and  grotesque. 

6.  Complete  elimination  of  second-coming 
extravagance.    Mark  you — elimination! 

7.  And  finally,  the  nearest  approach  to  a 
satisfactory  solution  of  the  hard  problems  of 
Revelation  I  have  ever  read  or  heard. 

H.  C.  Stuntz. 
Omaha,  Nebraska,  May  1, 1922. 


"I  wondered  at  the  vision,  but  there  was 
none  to  make  it  understood." — Dan,  8.  27. 


PREFACE 

The  book  of  Revelation  is  admittedly  the 
most  difficult  book  of  the  Bible  to  interpret. 
Because  of  its  many  highly  colored  figures  of 
speech  and  its  enthralling  descriptions  of 
amazing  exhibitions  of  power,  it  is  probable 
that  more  vagaries  have  been  put  forth  as  in- 
terpretations and  more  fanciful  expositions  of 
the  book  have  been  written  than  of  all  the  rest 
of  the  Bible. 

The  author  was  reared  in  a  community 
where  great  emphasis  was  put  upon  this  style 
of  exposition  and  where  it  was  a  fairly  common 
household  belief,  based  upon  these  interpreta- 
tions, that  "the  world  would  come  to  an  end 
in  ten  years." 

Observing  that  the  dire  results  which  the 
prophets  of  literalism  so  boldly  proclaimed  did 
not  happen,  the  author  gradually  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  some  other  method  of  interpre- 
tation must  be  found  than  the  one  which  had 
so  signally  failed. 

About  twenty-five  years  ago  the  conviction 

began  to  deepen  that  this  book,  strange  though 

it  was  in  form  and  expression,  must  have  had  a 

more  rational  purpose  behind  it.     For  many 

17 


18  PKEFACE 

years  the  literary  horizon  was  persistently 
scanned  in  search  of  the  book  which  might  of- 
fer a  more  rational  solution  of  the  hitherto 
baffling  problem  of  interpretation,  but  no  such 
book  appeared. 

It  is  now  apparent  that  the  general  drift  of 
the  best  thought  about  the  book  through  these 
years  has  been  in  the  direction  of  seeking  the 
solution  of  the  problems  of  interpretation  by 
the  same  general  approach  as  has  been  em- 
ployed in  connection  with  the  other  New  Tes- 
tament books. 

Appeals  for  the  consideration  of  this  method 
of  approach  which  have  been  made  before  lay- 
men and  ministers  have  met  with  such  gener- 
ous commendation,  finally  culminating  in 
definite  requests  for  the  development  and  pub- 
lication of  these  ideas  led  the  author  to 
consent  to  undertake  the  task  of  preparing  a 
book  embodying  them.  The  task  has  not  been 
an  easy  one,  as  much  constructive  work  of  a 
pioneer  character  had  to  be  done. 

Though  deeply  conscious  of  personal  limita- 
tions, this  book  is  sent  forth,  not  as  the  final 
word,  but  in  the  hope  that  it  may  prove  to  be 
the  beginning  of  a  more  satisfactory  interpre- 
tation, and  with  the  prayer  that  it  may  help 
many  perplexed  folks  to  a  new  appreciation  of 
this   remarkable  book  which  has   such   mar- 


PREFACE  19 

velous  power  to  inspire  heroic  endeavor  in 
great  adversity. 

The  kind  encouragement  of  many  friends  is 
here  gratefully  acknowledged. 

The  author  is  indebted  to  many  sources  of 
information,  pro  and  con,  which  it  is  mani- 
festly impossible  to  enumerate.  Besides  the 
book  itself,  which  has  proven  highly  illumina- 
tive as  to  its  own  purpose,  the  following  is  a 
partial  list  of  the  works  consulted  in  the  prepa- 
ration of  the  manuscript: 

Dictionary  of  the  Bihle,  Hastings. 

Dictionary  of  the  Apostolic  Church,  Hast- 
ings. 

The  Letters  to  the  Seven  Churches,  Ramsay. 

Biblical  Apocalyptics,  Terry. 

John  and  His  Writings,  Hayes. 

The  Life  and  Times  of  Jesus  the  Messiah, 
Edersheim. 

Clarke's  Commentaries. 

Literary  Study  of  the  Bible,  Moulton. 

The  Revelation  of  John,  Case. 

The  Drama  of  the  Apocalypse,  Palmer. 

The  Johannine  Writings  and  the  Johannine 
Problem,  Vedder. 

Modern  Premillennialism,  Rail. 

The  Apocalypse  of  Saint  John,  Swete. 

The  Book  of  Revelation  Not  a  Mystery,  Kep- 
pel. 


20  PREFACE 

Heart  Problems  and  World  Issues,  Geis- 
singer. 

The  Millennial  Hope,  Case. 

Studies  in  Recent  Adventism,  Sheldon. 

The  Return  of  the  Redeemer,  Eckman. 

Premillennialism,  Mains. 

The  Millennial  Dawn  Heresy,  Eaton. 

^^Revelation,"  The  Century  Bible. 

History  of  Rome,  Gibbon. 

Complete  Works,  Josephus. 

History  for  Ready  Reference,  Lamed. 

The  Coming  of  the  Lord,  Snowden. 

The  International  Critical  Commentary, 
"The  Revelation  of  Saint  John/^  Charles. 


"Write  the  vision,  and  make  it  plain  upon 
tablets,  that  he  may  run  that  readeth  it." — 
Eah.  2.  2, 


CHAPTER  I 
THE  PURPOSE 

Interpretation 

What  is  the  purpose  of  this  strange  book? 
The  correct  answer  to  this  question  will  have 
great  bearing  on  the  whole  matter  of  interpre- 
tation. A  misconception  of  its  purpose  will 
color  the  entire  book  with  its  mistaken  light. 
In  order  to  secure  the  most  satisfactory  re- 
sults in  the  interpretation  of  any  biblical  book 
it  is  essential  to  know  the  author,  the  time,  the 
place,  and  occasion  of  its  writing.  The  more 
certain  and  definite  the  knowledge  about  these 
four  items  with  information  concerning  man- 
ners, customs,  current  thought,  and  historic 
setting,  the  more  satisfactory  the  conclusions 
will  be.  Should  the  book  be  peculiar  and 
therefore  difficult  of  exposition,  the  more  vital 
it  will  be  to  secure  all  possible  information  con- 
cerning these  items.  The  subject  matter  will 
also  loom  large  as  a  determinative  factor  as  to 
purpose. 

The  Author 

It  is  not  the  writer's  purpose  to  present  an 
23 


24         THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

extended  discussion  of  the  authorship  of  the 
Apocalypse,  but  to  consider  its  literary  form 
and  purpose.  Since  the  intention  of  a  well- 
known  author  may  be  more  easily  determined 
than  that  of  an  unknown  writer,  the  matter  of 
authorship  will  be  briefly  considered  because 
of  the  light  to  be  thrown  on  his  purpose. 

The  writer  of  the  Apocalypse  calls  himself 
"John"  five  times  in  the  book.  The  common 
conception  of  the  church  has  been  and  is  that 
"John"  is  none  other  than  the  apostle  John. 
This  belief  is  based  upon  the  oldest  and  most 
current  tradition  that  the  Apocalypse  is  the 
work  of  the  disciple  of  the  Lord.  The  external 
evidence  overwhelmingly  favors  this  view. 
Justin  Martyr,  Irenseus,  Tertullian,  Hippo- 
lytus,  and  Origen  bear  direct  testimony  that 
the  apostle  John  wrote  the  book.  The  author- 
ship of  no  book  of  the  New  Testament  is  better 
attested  by  external  evidence  than  that  of  the 
Apocalypse.^  Ramsay  is  so  confident  of  the 
apostolic  authorship  that  he  writes  a  note- 
worthy chapter  on  "The  Education  of  Saint 
John  in  Patmos."^ 

After  a  masterly  review  of  the  matter  of 
authorship  Professor  D.  A.  Hayes  reaches  the 
same  conclusion.^    It  requires  very  strong  evi- 

1  Biblical  Dogmatics,  Terry,  p.  294. 

'  Letters  to  the  Seven  Churches,  Ramsay,  pp.  82,  89. 

f  John  and  His  Writings,  Hayes,  p.  246, 


THE  PURPOSE  25 

dence  to  controvert  this  view  which  has  been  so 
generally  held  by  the  church.  The  witnesses 
to  do  this  do  not  seem  available. 

The  Time 

There  is  strong  internal  evidence  that  cer- 
tain portions  of  the  book  were  written  after 
the  death  of  Nero.  There  was  a  popular  Ro- 
man legend  that  Nero  would  rise  from  the 
dead  and  sit  upon  the  Roman  throne.  This 
belief  was  so  persistent  that,  as  late  as  the  time 
of  Domitian,  many  believed  that  he  was  the 
dead  Nero  returned  to  life.  There  is  un- 
doubted reference  to  this  curious  popular  leg- 
end about  Nero  in  the  text  of  the  book,  where 
reference  is  made  to  him  as  the  "beast''  that 
"was  and  is  not ;  and  is  about  to  come  up  out 
of  the  abyss,  and  to  go  into  perdition."^  As 
Christ,  who  lived,  died,  and  rose  from  the 
dead,  is  referred  to  as  the  one  "Who  is  and  who 
was  and  who  is  to  come,"  so  Nero  is  referred 
to  as  one  who  "was,  and  is  not,  and  shall 
come."  John  writes  to  comfort  the  Christians 
who  might  fear  the  return  of  the  infamous 
Nero  to  the  throne.  He  intimates  that  if  he 
should  "come  up  out  of  the  abyss,"  it  will  not 
be  to  go  on  the  throne,  but  to  go  into  "per- 
dition." 


*  Rev.  11.  7;  17.  8,  U, 


26        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

As  a  flame  by  night  reddens  the  sky,  and  the 
sky,  in  turn,  reddens  the  landscape  with  its 
borrowed  glare,  so  the  blood  of  slain  martyrs 
colors  the  inspired  imagination  of  the  author 
of  the  Apocalypse,  and  that  borrowed  glow, 
reflected  in  the  phrasing  of  the  book,  is  a  mute, 
but  certain,  witness  that  the  Apocalypse  is  the 
mirror  of  a  terrible  persecution.  The  external 
evidence  for  dating  the  Apocalypse  late  in 
the  reign  of  Domitian  is  much  stronger  than 
that  for  a  late  date  of  any  other  New  Testa- 
ment book.  Irenseus,  Jerome,  Victorinus,  and 
Eusebius  definitely  fix  the  date  at  this  time. 
This  conclusion  was  practically  unchallenged 
during  the  first  three  centuries  of  church  his- 
tory. More  than  forty  conspicuous  authori- 
ties may  be  cited  in  support  of  this  date.  The 
consensus,  based  upon  the  external  evidence, 
fixes  the  date  near  the  close  of  the  reign  of 
Domitian. 

Thus  both  the  internal  and  external  evidence 
fix  the  time  of  the  writing  of  the  book  as  sub- 
sequent to  the  death  of  Nero. 

The  Place 

The  author  states  that  he  "was  in  the  isle 
that  is  called  Patmos.''  Owing  to  the  cryptic 
nature  of  the  book  this  bit  of  internal  evidence 
alone  would  not  be  conclusive.    Many  marine 


THE  PURPOSE  27 

figures  and  references  make  it  reasonably  cer- 
tain that  the  author  was  sea  girt.    Pliny  and 
Tacitus  support  this  conclusion  by  asserting 
that  small  and  inhospitable  islands  were  fre- 
quently used  as  places  of  banishment  for  ob- 
noxious persons.    Eusebius  and  Jerome  state 
that  Saint  John  was  banished  to  Patmos  by 
Domitian.     In  view  of  these  statements  there 
is  little  doubt  that  Patmos  was  the  temporary 
residence  of  the  author  of  the  Apocalypse. 
The  entire  book  may  not  have  been  composed 
there,  as  certain  materials,  if  not  already  com- 
mitted to  writing,  would  probably  have  been 
mentally  prepared  as  the  author  saw  the  storm 
of  persecution  gathering  prior  to  his  confine- 
ment.   The  proximity  of  Patmos  to  the  seven 
churches  is  reflected  in  the  language  of  the 
book.     With  Patmos  as  a  center,  an  arc  de- 
scribed by  a  radius  of  one  hundred  and  thirty 
miles  would  have  included  the  seven  cities. 
The  cities  were  located  in  the  form  of  a  huge 
shoe,  with  Ephesus  at  the  heel  and  Smyrna 
about  half  way  up  the  back  and  Pergamum  at 
the  top.    The  mouth  of  the  shoe  is  forty  miles 
across  at  the  top,  thence  thirty-five  miles  to 
Sardis,  the  buckle,  and  on  through  Philadel- 
phia to  Laodicea,  the  toe,  thence  back  along 
the  huge  sole  to  the  heel.    Beginning  at  Ephe- 
sus, the  point  nearest  Patmos,  Christ  directs  a 


28        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

message  to  be  sent  to  each  of  the  seven 
churches  in  the  exact  order  of  their  location 
on  the  map. 

The  Occasion 

Each  book  of  the  New  Testament  was  writ- 
ten to  supply  some  great  fundamental  need, 
which  if  unsupplied  would  have  resulted  in 
serious  misfortune  to  Christianity.  The  Apoc- 
alypse is  no  exception  to  this  general  rule. 
Not  a  book  of  the  New  Testament  could  be 
taken  from  its  place  in  the  Bible  and  the  need 
of  its  particular  generation  without  doing  ir- 
reparable damage  to  the  whole  cause  of  Chris- 
tianity. Every  book  was  specifically  adapted 
to  meet  some  urgent  need.  The  purpose  of  the 
book  is  vitally  and  inseparably  connected  with 
its  capacity  to  meet  that  need.  Our  problem 
is  to  find  the  outstanding  need  of  the  Chris- 
tians in  western  Asia  in  the  days  of  the  Apoc- 
alypse and  to  determine  if  the  book  meets  that 
need. 

Would  it  not  be  perfectly  natural  if  during 
his  banishment  from  his  bishopric  John  should 
write  a  letter  to  his  fellow  Christians  to  meet 
whatever  need  might  have  arisen  among  them  ? 

With  Domitian  on  the  throne  at  Rome  and 
Saint  John  banished  to  Patmos  for  his  faith 
and  teaching,  what  outstanding  event  of  the 


THE  PURPOSE  29 

period  would  justify  a  written  message  from 
John  to  the  Christians  in  western  Asia?    Do- 
mitian  had  begun  his  career  as  a  constitutional 
monarch  who  devoted  all  his  energy  to  the  good 
of  his  realm.     Something  happened,  however, 
which  changed  the  whole  imperial  policy,  so 
that  the  career  which  had  begun  with  such 
promise  ended  in  a  reign  of  blood  and  terror, 
during  the  last  three  years  of  which  the  mon- 
arch played  the  part  of  a  frenzied  madman. 
Two   things   contributed    to    this   change   of 
policy,  both  personal  to  the  emperor.     His 
armies  were  defeated  on  a  Danubian  battle- 
field by  the  Dacians,  and  for  the  first  time  in 
their  history  the  Romans  were  compelled  to 
pay  an  annual  tribute  to  the  victors.     Em- 
boldened by  the  defeat  and  the  resulting  criti- 
cism, certain  elements  revolted.    The  uprising 
was  put  down  without  mercy,  and  Domitian 
seized  the  opportunity  to  destroy  his  political 
enemies  on  the  ground  that  they  had  been  in- 
volved in  the  conspiracy.    This  marked  the  be- 
ginning of  a  general  reign  of  terror  which  was 
heartily   promoted  by   the  jealous  monarch, 
during  which  many  of  the  "noblest  Romans  of 
them   all"   perished.     Once  kindled,  the  fire 
of  persecution  developed  into  a  general  con- 
flagration which  swept  over  the  whole  empire. 
The  first  direct  contribution  to  the  persecuting 


30        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

impulse  was  the  suspicion  awakened  in  the 
mind  of  Domitian  by  the  civil  embarrassments 
to  which  reference  has  just  been  made.  The 
second  impulse,  which  led  directly  to  the  per- 
secution of  the  Christians,  after  suspicion  had 
been  aroused  by  civil  events,  was  of  religious 
origin. 

Emperoe  Worship 

Emperor  worship  first  grew  and  flourished 
on  eastern  soil  where  the  rulers  had  been  called 
*^Sons  of  God"  for  centuries.  Ptolemy  I  was 
heralded  as  "Saviour  and  God."  Antiochus  IV 
was  designated  on  his  own  coins  as  "The  God 
Who  Appeared  Among  Men."  Julius  Caesar 
was  known  as  "God  and  Saviour."  A  temple 
was  erected  at  Pergamum  and  dedicated  to  the 
"God  Augustus  and  the  Goddess  Rome." 
Similar  temples  were  subsequently  erected  at 
Smyrna  and  Ephesus  and  festivals  connected 
with  the  worship  of  the  emperor  were  cele- 
brated, from  time  to  time,  at  Pergamum,  Sar- 
dis,  and  Philadelphia. 

The  first  Roman  province  added  by  conquest 
was  western  Asia.  It  had  a  cosmopolitan  popu- 
lation consisting  of  Greeks,  Romans,  Jews,  and 
local  tribes.  Conflicting  racial  prejudices  and 
practices  were  abundant.  The  land  was  rich, 
and  the  covetous  eyes  of  the  Romans  were  not 


THE  PURPOSE  31 

set  on  it  in  vain.  It  became  a  veritable  prey 
to  Roman  officials  and  soldiers  who  inaugu- 
rated a  reign  of  plunder  and  terror.  Augustus 
restored  law  and  order  and  was  hailed  "Sav- 
iour" of  Asia.  By  decree  of  the  Roman  Senate 
his  birthplace  was  declared  a  "Holy  Place," 
and  his  birthday  celebrated  as  the  "Birthday 
of  God.'' 

Many  cities  fused  emperor  worship  with  that 
of  their  local  deities.  The  people  encouraged 
the  fusion  because  they  found  it  an  easy  road 
to  imperial  favor.  The  Romans  fostered  it 
because  they  saw  great  opportunities  for  uni- 
fication of  empire  interests. 

Domitian,  self-styled  "Lord  and  God,"  find- 
ing himself  greatly  discredited  by  his  military 
failures,  naturally  encouraged  imperial  wor- 
ship as  the  surest  means  of  regaining  his  lost 
prestige.  Under  his  policy  refusal  to  worship 
the  emperor  became  high  treason.  Christian- 
ity, growing  in  numbers  and  influence,  refused 
to  assent  to  the  worship  of  any  being  except 
the  Triune  God.  Conflict  between  the  state 
and  Christianity  was  therefore  inevitable. 
There  were  some  striking  parallels  between 
the  two.  Each  had  a  universal  program,  aim- 
ing at  world  conquest.  The  dream  of  pros- 
perity and  peace  of  the  Old  Testament  prophets 
had  its  counterpart  in  the  stable  and  well- 


32        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

ordered  governmental  regime.  The  "Lord,'' 
"God,"  "Son  of  God,"  "Image  of  God,"  "God 
Manifest,"  of  the  Christian  religion  were 
matched  by  the  same  words  upon  the  lips  of 
the  imperial  high-priesthood,  but  applied  by 
them  to  the  deified  emperors.  In  addition  to 
these  predisposing  causes  of  persecution  there 
were  other  elements  which  might  stimulate  the 
Roman  purpose  to  insist  upon  conformity  to 
imperial  worship.  There  is  plenty  of  evidence 
that  the  Gentiles  and  the  Jews  of  western  Asia 
would  not  hesitate  to  join  hands  with  the  Ro- 
mans in  persecuting  the  Christians  (Acts 
9.  23 ) .  The  Master  had  warned  his  followers, 
"Ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name's 
sake,"^  and  his  preword  seems  more  like  his- 
tory than  prediction.  It  was  the  purpose  of 
Domitian  to  exterminate  the  Christians  as  the 
Druids  were  destroyed  before  them.^ 

What  would  a  group  of  helpless  folks  who 
were  completely  at  the  mercy  of  pagan  perse- 
cutors most  need?  The  imprisoned  John  was 
also  a  victim.  Working  in  quarry  or  mine  and 
feeling  the  lash  of  the  taskmaster  daily,  he 
would  be  keenly  alive  to  the  sufferings  of  his 
fellow  Christians.  Everything  jealous  heathen- 
ism could  devise  was  inflicted  upon  them  in 

6  Mark  13.  13. 

•  Letters  to  the  Seven  Churches,  Ramsay,  pp.  91,  92. 


THE  PURPOSE  33 

this  time  of  terror.  They  were  compelled  to 
bridge  the  chasm  between  gross  heathenism 
and  Christian  civilization  with  their  suffering 
bodies.  They  laid  the  foundation  for  this  sac- 
rificial superstructure  with  the  stone  of  super- 
human endurance,  in  mortar  mixed  with  their 
own  blood. 

In  these  circumstances  would  it  not  seem 
strange  if  God  did  not  move  some  gifted  saint 
who  was  a  "fellow  sufferer"  with  them  to  write 
a  message  of  tender  helpfulness,  which  would 
comfort  the  broken-hearted  and  so  strengthen 
the  morale  of  the  Christians  that  they  would 
be  willing  to  die  for  Him  who  "loved  them  and 
loosed"  them  from  their  "sins  by  his  blood"? 
Who  would  be  better  qualified  to  write  such  a 
book  than  the  venerable  John?  Would  not 
such  a  book  likely  contain  internal  evidence 
that  it  was  designed  for  such  a  period  of  trial? 

Internal  Evidence 

Cavities  where  once  a  human  body  was 
buried  beneath  the  avalanche  of  ash  and  lava 
from  Mount  Vesuvius,  refilled  with  mortar,  re- 
veal the  form  and  feature  of  the  men  who  per- 
ished in  that  catastrophe.  So  certain  cavities 
of  speech  and  phrasing  from  those  buried  years 
of  persecution  have  preserved,  to  the  thought- 
ful inquirer,  long-hidden  thoughts,  hopes,  mo- 


34        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

tives,  and  needs  of  those  terrible  years.  Let 
us  examine  this  book  and  see  if  we  cannot  find 
the  reasons  which  led  to  its  writing.  As  the 
deep  need  of  Job's  heart  is  revealed  by  the 
drama  when  it  puts  into  his  lips  the  exultant 
shout,  "I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth/'^  so 
this  drama  seeks  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  tried 
souls  of  that  day  by  revealing  to  them  their 
Redeemer  who  is  "alive  forever  more." 

Very  early  in  the  book  Christ  directs  John 
to  write  a  message  to  the  seven  churches  to 
meet  imperative  needs  peculiar  to  each  of  them. 
The  writer  is  a  "partaker''  in  "tribulation." 
He  exhorts  the  church  at  Smyrna  to  "fear 
not"  when  they  "suffer,"  are  "cast  into  prison," 
and  have  "tribulation."  He  congratulates  the 
church  at  Pergamum,  "where  Satan's  throne 
is,"  that  they  hold  steadfast  where  Antipas 
lived  and  "was  killed."  The  special  rewards 
offered  to  "overcomers"  at  Ephesus,  Thyatira, 
Sardis,  and  Laodicea  indicate  a  time  of  trial. 
The  pledge  to  keep  the  Philadelphians  from 
the  "hour  of  trial"  suggests  persecution.  The 
presence  of  souls  "slain  for  the  word  of  God," 
sanctuaried  under  the  altar,  and  the  intima- 
tion that  others  will  be  slain  before  the  day  of 
terror  is  over,  reveals  a  day  of  trial.  Select 
spirits  "before  the  throne  of  God,"  who  came 

»  Job  19.  25. 


THE  PUEPOSE  35 

"out  of  great  tribulation''  is  a  reminder 
of  the  presence  of  the  persecutor.  The  slaugh- 
ter and  denial  of  burial  to  the  "two  witnesses" 
is  another  testimony  to  the  presence  of  persecu- 
tion. When  foiled  in  his  attempt  to  "devour" 
the  newly  born  child  the  dragon  "persecuted 
the  woman."  Defeated  again,  he  "waxed 
wroth"  and  prepared  to  "make  war  with  the 
rest  of  her  seed."  These  bear  unchallenged 
witness  to  persecution.  The  sea-born  "beast" 
had  power  to  war  against  the  "saints  and  to 
overcome  them."  The  earth-born  "beast"  had 
authority  to  slay  those  who  refused  to  "wor- 
ship the  image  of  the  beast,"  and  to  exclude 
those  not  bearing  the  "mark  of  the  beast"  from 
the  marts  of  trade. ^  These  are  pertinent  re- 
minders of  the  day  of  trial.  The  angel  of  the 
waters,  extolling  the  Holy  One  for  turning  the 
fountains  into  blood  because  "the  blood  of 
saints  and  prophets"  had  been  poured  out,  is 
another  scrap  of  vivid  evidence  that  the  author 
was  thinking  of  a  day  of  trial.  The  "mother 
of  harlots,"  "drunken  with  the  blood  of  the 
saints,"  and  the  "voice  of  a  great  multitude  in 
heaven"  praising  God  because  he  had  avenged 
the  blood  of  his  servants  suggest  that  the  hosts 
of  heaven  had  not  forgotten  the  "day  of  trial." 
John's  sight  of  those  who  had  been  "beheaded 

8  Apocalypse  of  John,  Swete,  p.  174. 


36        THE  LIOK  AND  THE  LAMB 

for  the  testimony  of  Jesus'^  is  one  more  of 
many  bits  of  corroborative  evidence  of  the 
strongest  character  that  the  very  heart  of  the 
author's  purpose  was  to  bring  comfort  to  men 
and  women  in  the  fires  of  persecution.  With 
such  a  strong  and  steady  current  of  testimony 
running  through  the  book,  and  all  of  it  indicat- 
ing the  time  of  severe  trial,  how  can  one  doubt 
that  the  book  was  written  primarily  for  those 
who  were  suffering  a  terrible  persecution? 
What  would  these  tried  souls  need  more  than 
the  strengthening  of  their  morale? 

Morale  in  Trial 

The  Apocalypse  was  born  in  the  hour  of 
trial,  with  God  for  its  Father  and  necessity  for 
a  mother.  Porter  thinks  the  justification  for 
its  presence  in  the  sacred  canon  is  its  mar- 
velous power  to  strengthen  morale  in  trial.^ 
As  the  aim  of  the  book  of  Daniel  was  to 
strengthen  men  in  the  hour  of  severe  trial, 
so  the  purpose  of  the  Apocalypse  is  to  steady 
and  sustain  those  who  were  victims  of  an  un- 
speakable persecution.^^  Morale  is  the  key- 
stone of  the  arch  of  Apocalyptic  purpose.^ ^ 
This  taken  away,  the  whole  arch  falls  in  mean- 
ingless ruin.    A  book  which  would  enable  men 

»  Hastings,  vol.  IV,  p.  241. 
w  Hastings,  vol.  IV,  p.  245. 
u  Modern  Premillennialism,  Rail,  p.  93\ 


THE  PURPOSE  37 

to  remain  true  to  Christ  under  the  trials  which 
the  Christians  endured  would  be  entirely 
worthy  the  high  endeavor  of  any  man  who 
loved  the  kingdom  and  the  folks  who  composed 
it.  The  permanent  merit  of  the  book  lies  in 
its  power  to  strengthen  hope  in  adversity.^^ 

What  the  tried  saints  of  those  days  needed 
most  was  not  a  panorama  of  events  running 
through  six  thousand  generations  to  come,  but 
the  sight  of  a  pageant  of  power  which  would 
be  available  to  them  in  their  own  generation. 
The  author  of  this  book  sought  to  reveal  God 
as  the  final  source  of  comfort  and  strength  to 
his  own  generation.^^ 

As  a  river  mirrors  the  trees  which  grow 
upon  its  banks  so  this  book  reflects  the  needs 
of  the  Christians  in  the  days  of  Domitian.  The 
red  glare  of  blood  shed  by  the  hand  of  the 
persecutor  is  reflected  by  John^s  imagination 
and  projected  into  every  page  of  this  book.  It 
is  a  bloody  book.  When  the  common  wine 
press  runs  red  with  human  blood  and  royalty 
reels,  "drunk"  with  saintly  blood,  then  do 
persecuted  souls  need  a  vision  of  power  avail- 
able to  them  in  their  hour  of  need,  and  nothing 
else  can  strengthen  their  morale  like  such  a 
sight. 


"  Hastings,  vol.  IV,  p.  266. 

"  Apostolic  Church,  Hastings,  vol.  I,  p.  74. 


38        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 


The  Old  Testament 

It  is  clearly  evident  that  the  Apocalypse  is 
the  mirror  of  a  terrible  persecution.  If  we 
find  the  author  freely  using  quotations  from 
the  Old  Testament  which  were  originally  em- 
ployed to  comfort  souls  in  the  hour  of  trial, 
it  will  be  reasonably  certain  that  it  was  his 
purpose  to  comfort  those  to  whom  he  wrote. 
This  conclusion  is  materially  supported  by  the 
fact  that  many  of  his  readers  would  be  conver- 
sant with  these  excerpts,  while  their  common 
enemies  would  be  unacquainted  with  them. 

Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  Daniel,  and 
Zechariah  were  written  to  comfort  Israel 
under  the  iron  heel  of  the  oppressor,  though 
that  was  not  their  only  message.  These  books 
along  with  others  were  freely  drawn  upon  as 
sources  for  much  of  the  phrasing  in  direct 
quotation,  carrying  identical  thought  and 
much  verbatim  language. 

The  Westcott  and  Hort  list  of  Old  Testament 
quotations  in  the  Apocalypse  shows  that  sixty- 
five  per  cent  of  the  verses  of  the  Apocalypse 
contain  direct  Old  Testament  language,  with 
a  total  of  five  hundred  and  fifty  references  to 
material  taken  from  the  Old  Testament.  A 
careful  checking  of  the  list  against  original 
sources  will  reduce  the  number  somewhat,  but 


THE  PURPOSE  39 

will  still  leave  an  amazing  number  of  passages 
imported  directly  from  the  Old  Testament.  A 
careful  study  of  these  passages  will  show  that 
the  great  bulk  of  them  are  employed  in  the 
Apocalypse,  as  they  were  originally  used  in 
the  Old  Testament,  to  comfort  men  in  the  day 
of  trial. 

Comment  on  these  striking  parallels  is  with- 
held as  unnecessary.  Since  out  of  so  generous 
a  selection  made  by  the  author,  from  so  many 
Old  Testament  sources,  there  is  scarcely  one 
which  does  not  bear  directly  on  the  comfort 
of  hearts  in  the  hour  of  trial, ^^  but  one  con- 
clusion can  be  drawn:  the  author  must  have 
intended  to  employ  material  for  the  purpose  of 
strengthening  the  morale  of  the  tried  saints 
under  the  lash  of  the  persecutor  in  his  day.^^ 

The  Limited  Objective 

Does  this  book  have  a  limited  or  an  unlim- 
ited objective?  Does  its  real  goal  lie  within 
that  generation  or  two  or  three  thousand  years 
away?  Fortunately,  certain  everyday  key 
words  are  found  in  the  book  the  meaning  of 
which  one  cannot  mistake.  They  furnish  a 
vital  and  final  clue.    To  get  the  long  look  for 

>*  For  detailed  comparison  of  the  Apocalyptic  references  with  the  Old 
Testament  sources  see  Api>endix. 

« International  Critical  Commentary,  "The  Revelation,"  vol.  I,  Charles, 
Introduction,  p.  xzii. 


40        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

the  objective  one  must  unsee  these  unmistak- 
able signs  of  purpose  hung  up  at  strategic 
places  in  the  book.  These  key  words  are  ren- 
dered "shortly,"  "quickly,"  and  "at  hand," 
throughout  the  entire  New  Testament.  The 
word  translated  "shortly"  and  "quickly"  is 
used  thirty-eight  times  in  the  New  Testament. 
It  appears  in  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  John, 
Acts,  Romans,  First  Corinthians,  Galatians, 
Philippians,  Second  Thessalonians,  First 
Timothy,  Hebrews,  First  Peter,  and  James. 
There  should  be  little  difficulty  in  determining 
the  meaning  of  a  word  which  is  found  in  more 
than  one  half  of  the  New  Testament  books.  In 
these  books  it  is  translated  "quickly," 
"hastily,"  "shortly,"  "soon,"  "speedily," 
"slightly,"  "outrun,"  "suddenly,"  and  "with 
all  speed."  Applied  to  time  the  words  give  the 
idea  of  brevity  only.  It  is  used  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse eight  times,  appearing  in  the  first  chap- 
ter, where  announcement  is  made  of  things 
which  must  "shortly"  come  to  pass.  The 
statement  is  repeated  in  the  last  chapter. 

The  word  translated  "at  hand"  is  used  forty- 
two  times  in  the  New  Testament.  Its  root 
meaning  is  to  "squeeze,"  to  "throttle,"  to  re- 
duce to  small  compass.  It  is  employed  by  the 
writers  of  twelve  New  Testament  books.  It 
should  be  easily  defined.    It  is  translated  "at 


THE  PURPOSE  11 

hand,"  "drew  nigh,"  "come  nigh,"  "approach- 
ing." Not  one  of  these  words  means  a  great 
length  of  time  or  space.  It  is  used  twice  in  the 
Apocalypse,  in  the  first  and  last  chapter.  In 
both  instances  the  phrasing  is  "at  hand."  In 
the  first  chapter  certain  impending  events  are 
said  to  be  "at  hand."  In  the  last  chapter  John 
is  directed  to  leave  this  book  unsealed,  for  the 
"time  is  at  hand."  If  the  meaning  of  these 
words,  which  is  so  definitely  fixed  by  usage  in 
the  New  Testament,  is  to  have  any  real  con- 
sideration, they  surely  suggest  a  very  limited 
objective  for  the  Apocalypse.  A  rational  use 
of  the  words  as  they  occur  cannot  put  the 
objective  beyond  the  generation  of  that  day. 

Numbers  Related  to  Time 

The  terms  used  to  indicate  brevity  of  time 
also  suggest  a  limited  objective  for  the  book. 
Christ  warned  the  church  at  Smyrna,  "Ye 
shall  have  tribulation  ten  days."  The  frequent 
use  of  material  from  Daniel  in  the  Apocalypse 
would  indicate  that  the  ten-day  diet  test  of 
Daniel  and  his  companions  probably  suggested 
the  ten-day  test  in  the  Apocalypse.  It  is  highly 
improbable  that  the  ten  days  were  literal  days 
of  twenty-four  hours  each.  It  is  far  more 
likely  that  they  indicate  a  short  time. 

The  two  '* witnesses"  who  were  put  to  death 


42         THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

for  faith  in  Christ  preached  for  three  and  one 
half  years.  Their  enemies  triumphed  over 
them  but  for  three  and  one  half  days.  They 
served  for  years.  Their  enemies  triumphed 
over  them  for  days,  when  God  intervened  on 
their  behalf. 

Certain  nations  were  permitted  to  tread  the 
precincts  of  the  Temple  under  foot  for  three 
and  one  half  years.  If  this  reference  is  to 
Jerusalem  and  the  Temple  there,  which  had 
been  in  the  defiled  hands  of  the  Komans  for  a 
score  of  years,  it  could  not  mean  a  literal 
"forty  and  two  months,"  but  it  undoubtedly 
signifies  a  short  time.  Authority  was  given 
the  sea-born  beast — Kome — to  persecute  the 
saints  for  ^^forty-two  months,"  but  the  real 
Rome-born  persecution  lasted  intermittently 
for  more  than  forty-two  years.  The  lesson  is 
that  Roman  dominancy  must  in  the  end  be 
comparatively  brief.  No  literal  interpretation 
is  at  home  in  this  section  of  the  book.  The 
time  periods  must  be  considered  as  relative 
only. 

The  woman  who  fled  from  the  dragon  was 
nourished  "one  thousand  two  hundred  and 
three  score  days"  ( three  and  one  half  years ) . 
This  period  is  contrasted  with  the  "short  time" 
parallel  which  is  allotted  to  the  devil  to  do  his 
nefarious  work.    The  actual  length  of  time  in- 


THE  PURPOSE  43 

volved  is  subsidiary  to  the  main  lesson  that 
God  will  sustain  as  long  as  the  devil  persecutes. 
Five  months  is  the  period  which  the  locust- 
horse  hordes  had  power  to  torture  men.  A 
long  time  is  not  intended  by  it.  It  suggests 
that  though  brief  the  punishment  will  be  in- 
tense. 

The  Thousand  Years 

The  "thousand  years'^  is  the  longest  period 
of  time  referred  to  in  the  book.  There  are  six 
references  to  it  in  the  twentieth  chapter,  and 
it  occurs  nowhere  else.  Three  of  the  references 
refer  to  the  time  the  devil  is  bound  and  three 
to  the  time  of  the  regnancy  of  the  saints.  If 
all  other  numbers  in  the  book  had  a  strictly 
literal  content,  this  one  should  be  held  to  the 
same  general  interpretation.  Since  none  of 
the  others  are  so  construed,  why  this  one? 
Were  there  literally  two  hundred  million  gal- 
loping horsemen,  no  more,  no  less?  Did  a  lit- 
eral stream  of  human  blood,  bridle  deep  to 
horse  and  two  hundred  miles  long  actually 
flow  from  a  wine  press  in  w^hich  grapes  had 
been  placed?  Were  there  seven  thousand,  not 
one  more  nor  one  less,  slain  in  the  earthquake? 
Let  us  also  examine  the  matter  in  the  light 
of  other  statements  referring  to  time  and  di- 
rectly connected  with  the  time  immediately 


44        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

preceding  the  binding  of  Satan  and  that  also 
following  it.  Let  us  see  if  we  cannot  catch  the 
author's  object  as  he  teaches  by  the  compara- 
tive object-lesson  method.  At  the  time  of 
Satan's  entrance  into  earthly  affairs  he  is  rep- 
resented as  "having  great  wrath,  knowing  that 
he  hath  but  a  short  time"  (12.12).  His  time 
for  action  after  his  release  from  imprisonment 
is  described  as  a  "little  time"  (20.  3 ) .  He  car- 
ried out  his  program  without  great  restraint 
prior  to  his  incarceration,  though  limited  to  a 
"short  time."  He  was  free  again  to  act  without 
great  restraint  after  his  duress,  though  only 
for  a  "little  time."  Between  the  "short  time" 
and  the  "little  time"  is  a  period  of  compara- 
tively long  time — a  "thousand  years" — during 
which  he  is  imprisoned  by  the  angel  keeper  of 
the  pit.  The  comparison  is  not  between  the 
"thousand  years"  and  all  time  preceding  it 
and  all  to  follow  it.  The  "thousand  years"  is 
not  the  short  term  in  the  comparison  but  it  is 
the  long  time.  The  Apocalypse  represents 
Satan  as  having  two  short  periods  of  unre- 
strained effort  with  a  long  period — a  "thou- 
sand years" — between  the  two  short  ones.  By 
this  object  lesson  the  Christians  are  being 
"shown"  that,  though  Satan  may  persecute 
without  great  restraint  for  two  brief  periods, 
yet  the  time  of  their  regnancy  is  much  longer. 


THE  PURPOSE  45 

Job  had  two  comparatively  long  periods  of 
freedom  from  the  actual  power  of  Satan,  one 
in  the  early  part  of  his  career  and  one  late  in 
life,  with  a  correspondingly  short  time  in 
which  God  said,  "All  that  he  hath  is  in  thy 
power."^^ 

Job^s  time  of  freedom  from  Satanic  power 
was  the  long  time  at  the  beginning  and  the 
long  time  at  the  close  of  his  career  with  a  short 
time  of  Satanic  dominion  between  the  two.  In 
the  Apocalypse  the  beginning  and  the  end  con- 
stitute the  time  of  Satanic  mastery,  with  a 
long  time  of  saintly  regnancy  between  the  two. 
In  both  books  the  time  of  man's  regnancy  is 
long  and  the  period  of  Satanic  dominion, 
though  fierce,  is  brief.  Remembering  that 
Satan's  time  of  triumph  was  at  the  beginning 
and  the  end,  Christ's  saying,  "I  am  the  be- 
ginning and  the  end,"  has  a  new  significance. 
Thus  are  the  Christians  given  the  impression, 
by  this  remarkable  book,  that  the  time  of  Sa- 
tanic dominion  is  short.  Since  they  are  passing 
through  that  short  period  of  his  dominancy, 
through  his  agents  the  "beasts,"  they  have 
their  eyes  fixed  upon  the  limited  objective  for 
this  book.  They  are  comforted  with  the  sug- 
gestion that  the  days  of  Satanic  mastery  will 
soon  end  and  the  time  of  their  regnancy  is  near 

>Vob  1. 12. 


46        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

at  hand.  Should  he  return  after  his  imprison- 
ment, it  will  be  only  a  "little  time"  until  he  is 
defeated  again. 

Immediacy  of  Action 

The  book  is  saturated  with  the  spirit  of  im- 
mediacy. Nothing  is  to  be  long  deferred.  Sa- 
tanic dominancy  can,  at  the  worst,  be  only 
brief.  It  is  almost  sunup  of  the  day  of  saintly 
mastery  and  of  Satanic  defeat.  The  creak  of 
the  oxcart  is  never  heard  in  this  book.  Every- 
thing moves  with  rapidity.  Horses  gallop  in 
cavalry  charge.  Lightnings  flash.  Seas  swal- 
low ships  at  a  gulp.  Fire  and  earthquake  work 
swiftly.  Hail  crashes  through  the  air.  Pesti- 
lence flies  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind.  Flying 
messengers  flash  their  wings  over  earth  and 
sea.  The  gospel  is  carried  by  a  winged  angel. 
Everything  is  in  rapid  action.  Nothing  is 
static.  Scenes  are  constantly  shifting.  The 
sense  of  rapidity  is  everywhere.  "Delay  shall 
be  no  longer."  "The  hour  to  reap  is  come." 
The  "grapes  are  fully  ripe."  "In  one  hour  thy 
judgment  is  come."  "In  one  day  her  plagues 
shall  come."  "The  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is 
come."  "His  wife  hath  made  herself  ready." 
Woes  tread  upon  each  other's  heels,  they  come 
so  quickly.  In  Daniel  the  vision  was  shut  be- 
cause the  objective  was  afar  off.    Seal  not  the 


THE  PURPOSE  47 

words  of  the  prophecy,  for  the  "time  is  at 
hand,"  is  the  apocalyptic  urgency.  The  reaper 
rides  a  cloud.  Beasts  move  too  slowly.  Swift- 
winged  birds  are  summoned  to  feast  upon  the 
flesh  of  slain  royalty.  The  woman  escapes  a 
pursuing  dragon  on  the  wings  of  an  eagle. 
Saints,  sanctuaried  under  God's  altar,  grow 
impatient  for  full  inheritance,  and  cry  out, 
"How  long?"  They  are  told  to  "rest  yet  for 
a  little  time."  The  mystery  of  God  is  "fin- 
ished." The  devil  is  "cast  down."  Merchant 
princes  plead  for  rocks  to  "fall"  upon  them. 
A  flying  eagle  announces  coming  woes.  Stars 
fall  like  blazing  torches.  Horses  rush  to  war. 
Islands  flee.  The  heavens  are  rolled  up  as  a 
scroll.  Dire  disaster  follows  the  decisive  action 
of  the  angels  of  the  bowl  with  cataclysmic  sud- 
denness. Saints  are  tried  for  ten  days.  Satan, 
sullen  with  anger,  begotten  of  defeat,  moves 
swiftly  because  he  knows  his  time  is  "short." 
Christ  is  urgent.  Twice  he  breaks  unannounced 
into  a  scene,  once  before  the  angel  has  com- 
pleted his  conversation  with  John.  Both  times 
he  appears  to  say  the  urgent  words  "Behold, 
I  come  quickly."  The  very  rapidity  of  action 
so  characteristic  of  this  book  shows  that  the 
goal  for  which  the  saints  long  is  "at  hand," 
that  the  objective  is  a  limited  one.  No  saint 
of  that  day  had  the  long  look  in  his  eyes,  seeing 


48        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

no  hope  except  at  the  misty  foothills  of  the  dim 
and  far  distant  future,  but  every  heart  leaped 
at  the  welcome  words,  "Behold,  I  come 
quickly." 

To  them  his  coming  meant  the  dominance 
of  the  right  and  the  defeat  of  evil. 

"Prophecy" 

Perhaps  no  one  word  in  this  strange  book 
leads  so  many  readers  from  the  real  trail  of 
truth  as  the  word  for  "prophecy,"  because  a 
false  content  is  read  into  it.  The  word  for 
"prophet"  and  "prophecy"  in  its  varied  forms 
appears  twenty-one  times  in  this  book.  This 
is  a  sufficiently  wide  usage  to  give  a  fair  con- 
ception of  the  meaning  based  upon  actual  use. 
It  appears  in  the  first  and  last  chapters  and  in 
six  intervening  ones.  In  the  first  chapter  the 
"prophecy"  is  to  be  "heard,"  "read,"  and 
"kept."  One  may  "keep"  a  commandment  or 
conform  to  the  spirit  and  teaching  of  a  mes- 
sage, but  how  can  one  "keep"  a  "prophecy"  if 
it  foretells  future  events?  In  four  instances 
the  word  used  in  this  book  signifies  a  "mes- 
sage." This  seems  to  be  Jesus'  conception  in 
the  last  chapter.  Once  the  "testimony  of 
Jesus"  is  called  the  "spirit  of  prophecy."  Once 
the  author  is  to  preach  or  "prophesy"  to  many 
nations  and  peoples  "again."     In  three  cases 


THE  PURPOSE  49 

the  message  of  two  "witnesses'^  is  called  a 
"prophecy/'  and  the  "prophecy''  in  turn  is 
called  a  "testimony."  In  six  instances  "proph- 
ets" are  mentioned  as  a  part  of  a  group  without 
regard  to  action. 

Once   "prophets"    declare    "good   tidings." 
These  "prophets"  were  probably  gospel  preach- 
ers, as  "good  tidings"  is  a  New  Testament  ex- 
pression.    Jezebel  is  called  a  "prophetess.'- 
False  "prophets"  are  mentioned  three  times. 
In  all  this  wide  range  of  usage  no  "prophet" 
in  the  book  reveals  future  events.     In  all  in- 
stances where  a  definite  status  is  suggested  the 
work  of  the  "prophet"  is  that  of  edification, 
comfort,  and  consolation.    Thus  do  they  match 
Saint  PauFs  conception  of  the  New  Testament 
"prophet."     "He  that  prophesieth   speaketh 
unto  men  edification,  and  comfort,  and  conso- 
lation."!^    The  New  Testament  prophet  is  the 
one  who  declares  God's  will.    Prophecy  is  the 
message  which  contains  the  declaration  of  that 
will.     The   New   Testament   "prophet"   is  a 
forth- teller    and    not    a    foreteller.  ^^        To 
assume    that    New    Testament    "prophecy," 
and    therefore  Apocalyptic    prophecy,  which 
is    included    in    it,    is    predictive    and    then 
find   the   prediction   unfulfilled   excites   sus- 

"  I  Cor.  14.  3. 

»»  The  Johannine  Writings,  Vedder,  p.  40. 


50        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

picion    concerning    the    inspiration    of    the 
book.^^ 

The  Apocalypse  Meets  the  Need  of  the 
Hour 

The  terrible  plight  of  the  Christians  in  the 
Apocalyptic  period,  due  to  unspeakable  perse- 
cutions, and  the  impending  peril  to  the  cause 
of  Christianity  as  inextricably  involved  in  the 
threatened  disaster,  should  the  persecuted  ones 
not  remain  steadfast,  demanded  a  message 
which  would  so  strengthen  the  morale  of  those 
tried  people  that  they  would  "endure  as  seeing 
him  who  is  invisible." 

The  Apocalypse  is  the  only  book  of  the  New 
Testament  which  can  be  regarded  as  specifi- 
cally written  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
situation  in  western  Asia  and  other  parts  of 
the  Koman  Empire.  If  it  was  not  written  to 
meet  the  imperative  needs  of  those  days  of  pa- 
gan frightfulness,  then  there  is  no  book  which 
does  meet  the  need  of  that  soul-tried  genera- 
tion. That  the  church  should  pass  through 
such  fires  of  persecuting  fury  as  it  did  in  the 
first  three  centuries  of  its  history  without  God 
having  inspired  some  understanding  and  sym- 
pathetic soul  to  pen  them  a  message  of  hope  to 


w  The  Drama  of  the  Apocalypse,  Palmer,  p.  94;   The  Reoelalion  of  John, 
Case,  p.  385. 


THE  PURPOSE  51 

steady  and  sustain  them  is  unthinkable.  Other 
New  Testament  books  had  been  written  for  a 
lesser  reason  than  that  demanding  a  message 
in  the  days  of  the  Apocalypse.  The  very  neces- 
sities of  the  case  argue  that  such  a  book  was 
written.  The  Apocalypse  is  that  book.  It  is 
indigenous  to  the  soil  of  the  generation  of  Do- 
mitian.  It  is  deeply  rooted  in  the  subsoil  of 
the  social,  mental,  moral,  religious,  and  po- 
litical life  of  that  day.  The  very  petals  of  its 
blossoms  of  hope,  comfort,  and  promise  are 
colored  by  the  thought  and  emotions  of  that 
day.  Its  fruit  is  such  as  famishing  souls  must 
have  if  they  are  not  to  perish.  It  is  the  "hid- 
den manna"  upon  which  these  stalwart  sons 
and  daughters  of  God  fed  and  were  sustained. 
It  is  the  literary  answer  of  God  to  the  needy 
souls  of  men  of  those  terrible  years  of  blood 
and  fire  and  tears.  One  might  write  upon  every 
copy— "The  Saint  in  the  Day  of  Triar'— "His 
Book." 


"Unto  you  it  is  given  to  know  the  mysteries 
of  the  kingdom  of  God :  but  to  the  rest  in  para- 
bles; that  seeing  they  may  not  see,  and  hearing 
they  may  not  understand." — Luke  8. 10, 


CHAPTER  II 
THE  FORM 

Form  Fundamental  to  Interpretation 

Form  is  fundamental  to  correct  interpreta- 
tion. Prose  cannot  be  interpreted  like  poetry, 
nor  historic  narrative  like  fiction.  Legal 
phraseology  cannot  be  construed  like  the  im- 
passioned appeal  of  the  orator.  Form  will 
therefore  have  a  profound  influence  upon  in- 
terpretation. What  is  the  literary  form  of  the 
Apocalypse?  It  is  really  the  description  of  a 
great  drama.  There  must  be  a  sharp  dis- 
crimination between  what  John  saw  and  his 
description  of  it.  The  former  is  the  real  drama, 
the  latter  is  the  reporter's  account  of  it.  The 
book  of  ^^Revelation"  is  John's  description  of 
the  drama  which  he  saw.  It  has  many  dramatic 
qualities,  but  is  not  the  real  drama  and  is  not 
designed  to  be  staged.  The  people  to  whom  he 
wrote  had  no  means  for  staging  a  drama,  but 
they  could  see  the  one  which  John  saw  from 
his  description  of  it.  What  John  really  saw 
was  the  most  stupendous  pageant  ever  staged 
under  the  stars. 

55 


56         THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

Much  confusion  of  interpretation  has  arisen 
because  the  dramatic  quality  of  the  original 
presentation  to  John  has  been  overlooked. 
With  the  instinct  of  a  true  dramatist  the  au- 
thor enhances  the  effectiveness  of  this  mar- 
velous pageant,  by  elaborate  scenic  settings. 
Having  access  to  no  stage  with  suitable  para- 
phernalia and  dramatic  arrangement,  he  must 
present  the  setting  in  words.  Any  interpreta- 
tion which  places  the  same  emphasis  upon  the 
descriptive  portions  of  this  drama  which  it 
does  upon  the  spoken  message  will  find  grave 
difficulty  in  satisfying  either  the  mind  or  heart 
of  the  thoughtful  student. 

1.    Negative  Aspects, 

Before  presenting  the  main  reasons  why  the 
book  should  be  interpreted  from  the  dramatic 
standpoint  let  us  consider  some  negative  as- 
pects of  the  matter. 

It  is  not  a  pure  Apocalypse.  The  word 
"Apocalypse'^  is  a  distinctive  New  Testament 
word.  It  has  too  often  been  understood  to 
be  used  in  Revelation  alone.  Its  meaning  is 
fixed,  not  by  the  book  of  Revelation  alone,  but 
by  its  New  Testament  use.  Here  it  appears 
forty-four  times,  twenty-six  times  as  a  verb 
and  eighteen  times  as  a  noun.  It  appears  once 
each  in  the  title  and  body  of  the  book.    There 


THE  FOKM  57 

is  no  valid  reason  why  the  meaning  should  be 
fixed  entirely  by  the  two  times  it  is  used  in  the 
Apocalypse,  but  there  is  strong  ground  for 
concluding  that  the  forty-two  times  it  is  em- 
ployed in  the  rest  of  the  New  Testament  should 
shed  considerable  light  on  its  meaning  in  the 
Apocalypse.  In  the  rest  of  the  New  Testament 
it  is  always  translated  to  reveal,  or  a  revela- 
tion, and  signifies  literally  an  unveiling,  an  un- 
covering, a  display,  an  exhibition.  When  the 
veil  is  drawn  aside  and  the  picture  is  exposed 
to  view,  that  is  an  Apocalypse.  The  New  Testa- 
ment use  of  the  word  will  not  warrant  the  con- 
clusion that  the  book  is  an  Apocalypse  in  the 
usual  sense  of  the  word  as  indicated  in  the  Old 
Testament  and  the  Jewish  Apocalypses. 

A  second  reason  why  the  book  may  not  be  re- 
garded as  a  true  Apocalypse  is  the  vital  differ- 
ence between  the  fundamental  concept  of  the 
real  apocalyptist  and  the  author  of  the  book  of 
Revelation.  The  real  apocalyptist  despairs  of 
immediate  relief,  loses  faith  in  God's  actual 
presence  in  the  world,  and  doubts  his  intention 
to  give  speedy  victory  to  the  cause  of  right. 
Despairing  of  present  relief,  he  looks  to  a  fu- 
ture day  when  earthly  conditions  shall  be  re- 
versed and  God  will  intervene  with  a  high  hand 
of  power  to  destroy  the  baneful  world  order 
by  sheer  force.    It  is  not  denied  that  certain 


58        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

Apocalyptic  types  are  employed  in  the  bold 
imagery  of  the  book.  The  writer  must  have 
been  strongly  impressed  by  the  imagery  of  the 
Jewish  Apocalypses.  In  real  essential  spirit, 
however,  it  is  not  a  strict  Apocalypse.  Instead 
of  the  writer  despairing  because  of  the  lack 
of  God's  presence  in  the  world,  his  whole  men- 
tal horizon  is  aflame  with  the  conviction  that 
the  Triune  God  is  present  as  an  evident  and 
vital  factor  in  the  gigantic  struggle  for  right- 
eousness in  the  world  at  the  hour  of  his  writ- 
ing. To  him  God  is  no  unconcerned  spectator 
upon  the  sidelines,  but  is  everywhere  present 
in  the  grim  scrimmage  of  those  awful  days. 
This  conception  is  the  very  heart  and  soul  of 
the  Apocalypse  of  John.  He  seeks  to  make 
men  feel  the  wholesome  and  stimulating  sense 
of  God's  presence  in  the  world,  working  with 
mighty  energy,  in  spite  of  men  or  demons. 

The  book  of  Revelation  is  not  predictive 
"prophecy.'^  This  phase  having  been  discussed 
in  the  previous  chapter  needs  only  to  be  re- 
stated here. 

It  is  not  pure  prose  and  therefore  not  sub- 
ject to  the  literal  interpretation  usually  ac- 
corded that  type  of  literature.^  Even  a  casual 
study  will  convince  the  reader  that  the  poetical 
quality  of  the  book  must  be  reckoned  with  in 

iPremtttennioiMOT,  Mains,  p.  41. 


THE  FOKM  59 

any  rational  interpretation.  To  treat  the 
poetical  element,  so  conspicuous  in  this  book, 
as  if  it  were  prose  has  inevitably  led  to  errone- 
ous conclusions.  These  errors  have  resulted 
in  serious  and  conflicting  conceptions,  making 
it  difficult  to  reconcile  the  book  with  the  age 
which  produced  it  or  to  harmonize  it  with  its 
own  evident  purpose.  Its  presence  in  the  sacred 
canon  suggests  that  it  is  not  an  enigma.  The 
difficulty  is  not  with  the  book,  but  with  human 
conceptions  of  it;  not  with  the  motive  and 
purpose  of  the  author,  but  with  the  interpreta- 
tion. 

That  it  is  not  a  prose  composition  seems 
axiomatic,  but  it  is  worth  while  to  call  atten- 
tion to  the  serious  difficulties  involved  in  giv- 
ing the  book  a  literal  interpretation  such  as  is 
usually  accorded  prose.  Literalism  presents  no 
vital  clue  which  may  lead  to  a  reasonable  solu- 
tion of  the  problems  of  this  unique  book.  It 
seems  to  increase  the  difficulties  rather  than  to 
diminish  them.  Assuming  that  John  intended 
to  give  a  literal  list  of  Roman  kings  leads  to  in- 
evitable conflict  with  the  historic  record.  No 
amount  of  sophistry  can  avert  this  catastrophe. 
Conflict  with  well-established  historic  records 
results  in  final  doubt  of  the  author's  accuracy. 
Doubt  of  accuracy  raises  a  suspicion  as  to  in- 
spiration.   Presuming  that  he  prophesied  the 


60        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

downfall  of  the  Roman  Empire  within  a  few 
months  causes  serious  doubt  as  to  his  reliabil- 
ity as  a  prophet,  for  it  did  not  fall  for  more 
than  two  centuries.  The  presumption  that 
John  expected  the  imminent  Coming  to  judge 
the  world  and  to  rule  it  with  a  literal  "rod 
of  iron,"  and  that  all  oppressors  of  the  Chris- 
tians were  to  be  flung  immediately  into  the 
flaming  pit,  while  Christ  and  the  saints  were 
to  share  the  throne  of  material  world  rulership 
falsifies  history,  discredits  the  author,  and 
weakens  confidence  in  the  inspiration  of  the 
book. 

Because  of  the  insuperable  difficulties  of  a 
literal  interpretation,  Luther  doubted  the  book 
was  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  Zwing- 
lius  thought  it  "not  a  biblical  book."  The  keen- 
brained  Calvin  withheld  approval  for  the  same 
reason.  Adam  Clarke  refused  detailed  com- 
ment because  many  expositions  had  "done 
great  disservice  to  religion."  Porter  thinks 
literal  interpretations  have  often  been  condu- 
cive to  harmful  results. 

Literalism  is  bound  to  have  difficulty  with 
a  stream  of  blood  four  feet  deep  and  two  hun- 
dred miles  long,  flowing  from  a  wine  vat  in 
which  grapes  have  been  placed.  A  pregnant 
woman,  in  heaven,  nearing  the  hour  of  her  ac- 
couchement, a  serpent  capable  of  vomiting  up 


THE  FORM  61 

a  river  of  such  huge  volume  as  to  disturb  a 
woman  flying  with  the  wings  of  an  eagle ;  and 
a  dragon  of  such  monstrous  size  that  its  tail 
could  sweep  one  third  of  the  stars  from  the  sky 
leads  literalism  upon  perilous  shoals.  The  lit- 
eralist  will  have  great  difficulty  to  adjust  the 
falling  of  the  stars  into  the  earth  with  such 
terrific  impact  that  heaven  is  removed  as  a 
scroll  and  every  mountain  and  island  is  moved 
from  its  place,  while  men  are  able  to  live  on 
the  earth  and  hide  themselves  in  the  rocks  and 
caves  of  moving  mountains.  It  is  evident  that 
the  literal  interpretation  must  go  on  the  rocks 
of  despair  in  the  amazing  scenic  display  of 
chapters  seven,  eight,  nine,  ten,  and  eleven.  A 
simple  problem  in  mental  arithmetic  ought  to 
satisfy  the  contender  for  a  literal  interpreta- 
tion. It  could  be  stated  like  this :  ^'The  stars 
of  the  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth."^  One  third 
of  them  is  subsequently  darkened.^  Another 
third  is  swept  from  the  sky  by  the  tail  of  the 
red  dragon.^  How  many  stars  are  left  to 
shine?  Having  solved  this  problem,  the  con- 
tender might  consider  how  the  horsemen  were 
transported  from  the  plains  of  heaven  to  Har- 
Magedon  and  how  the  woman  traveled  from 


»  Rev.  6.  13. 
»  Rev.  8.  12. 
*Rev.  12.4. 


62        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

heaven  to  her  refuge  in  the  earth  after  the  birth 
of  her  child. 

It  is  evident  that  some  more  flexible  in- 
terpretation must  be  found  than  literalism  af- 
fords if  this  book  is  to  be  sanely  interpreted 
and  have  full  opportunity  to  carry  its  great 
message  of  cheer  and  comfort  to  the  hearts  of 
a  needy  race.  If  compelled  to  make  choice  of 
a  form  of  literature  which  must  be  construed 
literally  and  the  drama,  there  is  no  longer  a 
question  but  that  the  drama  is  the  only  one 
flexible  enough  to  employ  what  current  ru- 
mor had  suggested.  Since  the  literal  in- 
terpretation terminates  in  confusion,  no  form 
of  literature  which  requires  it  can  be  consid- 
ered in  a  discussion  of  the  form  of  the  book  of 
Eevelation.  For  the  purpose  of  comfort  and 
the  strengthening  of  the  morale  of  those  con- 
cerned the  drama  may  teach  the  lesson  that 
God  has  the  mastery  of  all  the  forces  of  the 
world,  without  requiring  a  literal  interpreta- 
tion and  without  underwriting  the  material 
used,  and  so  far  as  this  feature  is  concerned, 
is  certainly  eligible  for  consideration. 

2.    Positive  Aspects 

Having  discussed  some  negative  aspects  of 
the  case,  let  us  now  consider  some  positive 
phases  of  the  matter,  giving  attention  first  to 


THE  FORM  63 

qualities  of  form  which  the  exigencies  of  the 
situation  would  demand. 

A  powerful  government  was  determined  to 
destroy  Christianity.  A  message  which  would 
fully  meet  the  exigencies  of  the  situation 
should  appear  in  the  form  least  likely  to  excite 
the  suspicion  of  the  eagle-eyed  Imperial  of- 
ficials, else  it  would  increase  the  animosity  and 
thus  defeat  its  own  purpose.  It  must  so  stimu- 
late the  morale  of  the  Christians  that  they 
would  endure  in  the  face  of  death.  The  dra- 
matic form  would  be  singularly  adapted  to 
these  two  purposes. 

The  Romans  were  not  proficient  in  the 
drama  and  were  less  skilled  in  its  use  to 
teach  religious  lessons.  This  fact  would  be  a 
good  reason  why  the  dramatic  form  would  be 
an  ideal  one  in  the  exigencies  of  that  period. 

The  drama  is  the  only  form  of  literature 
which  is  sufficiently  flexible  to  admit  the  very 
materials  we  find  in  the  book  of  Revelation. 
Freedom  in  the  use  of  figures  of  speech,  the  un- 
spoken message  which  the  actor  may  give  by 
appearance  and  action,  the  opportunity  to  play 
one  sentiment  against  another,  the  chance  to 
weave  bits  of  literature  and  legend  into  the 
fabric,  which  would  be  familiar  to  the  Chris- 
tians and  unfamiliar  to  their  enemies,  the  ease 
with  which  cryptic  utterances  may  be  employed 


64        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

and  veiled  references  made  to  current  events 
and  outstanding  characters  of  the  day,  and 
many  other  peculiar  privileges  of  the  drama 
combine  to  make  it  especially  adapted  to  the 
real  purpose  of  the  Apocalypse. 

The  drama  had  been  used  to  convey  reli- 
gious lessons  prior  to  this  time.  It  was 
born  of  religious  parentage  among  the  Greeks. 
In  its  earliest  form,  in  the  Dionysiac  festivals, 
the  Satyr  followers  of  the  wine  god  Bacchus 
were  impersonated  by  choruses  of  men  scantily 
clad  in  goat  skins,  chanting  their  songs  as  they 
danced  about  the  altar.  Aristotle  defined  its 
motive  as  the  attempt  to  purify  the  passions  of 
fear  and  pity  by  the  exalted  exercise  of  them. 
In  ^schylus,  the  Nemesis  of  divine  vengeance 
is  the  very  heart  of  the  tragedy.  In  Sophocles, 
the  moral  law  of  life  furnishes  the  thread  for 
weaving  the  fabric  of  the  drama.  The  drama 
also  developed  first  as  a  religious  type  among 
many  other  nations.  Since  the  race  had  used 
the  drama  quite  uniformly  to  teach  religious 
lessons,  why  should  there  be  any  hesitancy  in 
thinking  that,  should  the  exigency  arise  in  the 
stress  of  a  great  hour  of  need,  the  Christians 
would  do  the  same? 

Christ  used  a  disguised  method  of  teaching 
in  the  presence  of  his  enemies,'^    As  a  mother 

*  Mark  4.  11.  12. 


THE  FORM  65 

bird  flutters  away  from  her  nest,  as  if  crippled, 
in  order  to  lead  the  enemy  aside,  might  not 
John  "cripple''  in  his  Greek,  deliberately  in- 
tending to  confuse  his  enemies  by  its  crudity? 
As  the  Master  used  the  parabolic  form  of 
speech  to  discomfit  his  enemies  and  teach  his 
disciples,  why  might  not  John  employ  a  dis- 
guised form  of  literature  as  the  most  effective 
method  of  reaching  the  persecuted  Christians? 

The   Main   Reasons   for   Considering   the 
Original  Apocalypse  a  Drama 

Having  examined  some  negative  phases  of 
the  question  of  form  and  considered  the  adapt- 
ability of  the  drama  to  the  purposes  of  the 
hour,  let  us  now  discuss  some  main  reasons 
why  the  Apocalypse  should  be  considered  from 
the  dramatic  standpoint. 

1.    Seen^  Heard,  and  Read 

The  drama  is  the  only  form  of  literature 
which  may  be  "seen,''  "heard,"  and  "read."  The 
book  opens  with  a  prologue  in  which  it  is  in- 
timated that  the  original  presentation  was  seen 
by  John  and  closes  with  a  benediction  on  those 
who  read  and  hear.  The  opening  sentence  of 
the  book  suggests  that  the  purpose  of  the 
Apocalypse  was  that  Christ  might  "show"  it 
"unto  his  servants."     John  is  the  reporter, 


66        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

and  the  book  of  Revelation  is  his  account  of 
what  he  saw.  The  writer  uses  the  striking 
phrase  "I  saw"  fifty  times  and  "I  heard'' 
twenty-nine  times.  No  New  Testament  writer 
makes  it  so  unmistakable  that  he  was  giving 
his  readers  a  description  of  what  he  had  seen. 
The  things  which  the  writer  saw  constitute,  in 
the  main,  the  scenic  features  of  the  drama. 
The  spoken  message  of  the  drama  is  included 
in  what  he  "heard.''  Counting  a  half  verse  as 
a  minimum  unit,  two  hundred  and  forty-seven 
verses  are  employed  to  describe,  sometimes 
with  painstaking  minuteness,  what  the  author 
saw.  Christ  and  the  other  characters  speak 
one  hundred  and  fifty-seven  verses,  or  a  little 
more  than  one  third  of  the  entire  book.  Some 
character  besides  John  speaks  in  every  chapter 
except  the  twentieth,  which  contains  the  de- 
scription of  an  exceedingly  artistic  bit  of  dra- 
matic action.  John  speaks  in  twenty  chap- 
ters, narrating  what  he  had  seen  or  heard, 
Christ  speaks  in  six,  and  the  other  characters 
in  nineteen  chapters.  In  general,  approxi- 
mately two  thirds  of  the  book  is  devoted  to  a 
description  of  that  which  had  been  seen  or 
heard  and  one  third  is  given  to  the  spoken 
word.  Since  the  drama  is  the  one  form  of 
literature  which  may  be  seen,  heard,  and  read, 
and  this  book  expressly  states  that  its  contents 


THE  FORM  67 

are  to  be  shown,  heard,  and  read,  and  two 
thirds  of  its  contents  is  devoted  to  a  record  of 
what  was  seen  and  one  third  to  what  was  said, 
why  quibble  about  it  being  dramatic  in  its  real 
essence?  How  could  it  meet  this  threefold  re- 
quirement and  not  be  a  drama? 

2.     Current  Tradition 

The  use  of  current  tradition,  so  much  in  evi- 
dence in  this  book,  could  not  be  so  gener- 
ously used  in  any  form  of  literature  except  the 
drama.  So  terrible  was  the  persecution  under 
Nero  that  the  populace,  base  as  it  was,  felt  that 
judgment  must  come  for  such  acts.  Rumors 
of  impending  calamities  began  to  spread.  The 
air  was  reported  as  full  of  prodigies.  Shake- 
speare weaves  similar  omens  into  his  Hamlet : 

"A  little  ere  the  mightiest  Julius  fell, 
The  graves  stood  tenantless  and  the  sheeted  dead 
Did  squeak  and  gibber  in  the  Roman  streets. 
As  stars  with  trains  of  fire  and  dews  of  blood, 
Disasters  in  the  sun ;  and  the  moist  star 
Upon  whose  influence  Neptune's  empire  stands 
Was  sick  almost  to  doomsday  with  eclipse." 

— Act  1,  Scene  1. 

So  in  the  Neronic  days  terrible  storms  and  aw- 
ful plagues  were  freely  predicted  by  the  super- 
stitious. The  bronze  statue  of  Nero  was  al- 
leged to  have  been  melted  by  a  single  bolt  of 


68        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

lightning.  Fourteen  different  regions  of  Rome 
were  reported  to  have  been  devastated  by 
lightning.  Many  mysterious  deaths  were  said 
to  have  been  due  to  the  same  cause.  There  were 
whisperings  of  sudden  darkenings  of  the  sun 
and  hurricane  devastations.  Comets  were  ex- 
pected to  blaze  in  the  heavens  and  earthquakes 
to  rock  the  world.  The  Christians  would  give 
credence  to  these  portents,  though  mainly  the 
product  of  rumor.  A  cherished  fund  of  them 
would  become  the  natural  heritage  of  fathers 
who  would  hand  them  down  to  their  children. 
The  terrible  tragedy  of  Herculaneum  and 
Pompeii  occurred  during  the  reign  of  Titus. 
That  Roman  royalty  had  summer  villas  at 
Pompeii  would  not  be  overlooked  by  the  suffer- 
ing Christians.  A  dreadful  plague  followed 
the  destruction  of  the  two  cities,  taking  toll  of 
more  than  ten  thousand  lives  daily.  This  was 
followed  by  a  terrible  conflagration  in  Rome 
which  raged  for  three  days  and  destroyed  the 
Capitol,  the  Library  of  Augustus,  and  Pom- 
pey's  Theater.  Note  the  quaint  manner  in 
which  these  rumors  are  reflected  in  this  dra- 
matic pageant.  Current  rumor  made  use  of 
fire,  lightning,  wind,  earthquake,  blazing  com- 
ets, bloody  waters,  plague,  pestilence,  and 
famine  as  the  agents  in  the  punishment  of 
gross  offenders.    This  drama  contains  the  same 


THE  FORM  69 

elemental  forces,  as  the  agents  of  Divine 
Power.  Thus  does  it  utilize  what  current  ru- 
mor had  suggested,  in  order  to  reenforce  the 
morale  of  the  Christians  in  the  hour  of  trial. 

3.    Action  and  the  Drama 

(1)  Pillaged  Material.  What  an  actor  does 
in  a  drama  and  when  he  does  it  is  quite  as  im- 
portant as  what  he  says.  Pillaging  Eomans 
had  carried  away  the  trumpets,  the  golden 
bowls,  and  the  seven-branched  candlestick 
from  the  Temple  during  the  siege  and  sack  of 
Jerusalem.  If  the  reader  will  couple  the  ac- 
tion to  the  episodes  in  this  book,  he  will  find 
the  impression  tremendously  intensified.  See 
Christ  walking  among  the  golden  candlesticks 
and  John  falling  at  his  feet.  Recall  that  the 
seven  candlesticks  are  the  seven  churches  and 
that  the  risen  Son  of  the  Almighty  is  walking 
among  them!  Now  run  back  in  thought  to 
Rome.  Go  to  the  Arch  of  Titus.  See  there  as 
the  trophies  of  triumph,  the  representation  of 
the  golden  bowls,  the  trumpets  and  the  seven- 
branched  candlestick  w^hich  had  been  carried 
from  the  sacred  Temple  a  quarter  of  a  century 
before.  Try  to  enter  into  the  emotions  of  the 
men  and  women,  many  of  whom  this  same  Ro- 
man Empire  is  now  seeking  to  crush,  as  they 
catch  sight  of  the  golden  bowls,  the  trumpets, 


70        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

and  the  seven-branched  candlestick.  When 
you  have  done  this  you  will  understand  some- 
thing of  the  significance  of  these  scenes  to 
them  and  how  fundamentally  important  action 
is  to  this  pageant.  Catch  a  glimpse  of  an  angel 
of  huge  enough  bulk  to  be  garmented  with  a 
cloud,  turbaned  with  a  rainbow,  his  face  as  the 
sun,  and  his  feet  like  pillars  of  fire,  his  right 
foot  upon  the  sea  and  his  left  upon  the  land. 
Hear  him  crying  out  with  leonine  voice  to  the 
accompaniment  of  the  seven  thunders,  "Delay 
shall  be  no  longer!"  Take  the  action  from 
this  episode  and  the  life  is  gone. 

(2)  Wickedness  in  High  Places.  Messa- 
lina,  wife  of  Claudius,  whose  name  was  pro- 
verbial for  infamy,  not  content  with  being  a 
courtesan  herself,  compelled  court  women  to 
prostitute  themselves  in  the  palace,  in  the 
presence  of  their  husbands.  Poppse,  wife  of 
Nero,  was  publicly  known  as  a  harlot-queen. 
Pompeia,  wife  of  Trajan,  with  her  sister,  Mar- 
ciana,  were  the  first  ladies  of  the  Roman  Court 
to  check,  by  personal  example,  the  flaunting 
licentiousness  which  had  almost  uniformly 
prevailed  among  the  women  of  the  higher 
classes  for  a  half  century.  During  all  this 
period  there  was  not  a  single  literary  protest 
against  this  sin  within  the  imperial  realm. 
When  the  ^^mother  of  harlots"  was  put  upon 


THE  FORM  71 

the  back  of  the  "scarlet"  beast,  there  was  re- 
buked by  that  act  what  had  been  an  unrebuked, 
though  well-known,  fact  in  imperial  circles  for 
more  than  fifty  years.  What  John  did  was  far 
more  effective  than  anything  he  might  have 
said. 

(3)  Natural  Forces  and  Pests.  Thunders, 
lightnings,  fire,  smoke  as  the  "smoke  of  a  fur- 
nace," and  a  "voice  like  a  trumpet"  had  ac- 
companied the  giving  of  the  Law  (Exod.  19. 
16-18).  Thunders,  lightnings,  fire,  and  smoke 
as  the  "smoke  of  a  great  furnace"  feature  epi- 
sodes in  Revelation  (Rev.  8,  9).  Out  of  the 
"smoke"  a  cloud  of  locust-scorpion  creatures 
emerged.  The  eastern  locust  was  a  pest  which 
usually  devoured  every  green  thing  in  its  path. 
In  this  drama  they  are  not  to  devour  any  green 
thing,  but  to  torment  "such  men  as  have  not 
the  seal  of  God."  The  legitimate  food  of  the 
scorpion  was  the  locust.  In  this  drama  the 
sting  of  the  scorpion  is  put  into  the  tail  of  the 
locust.  In  this  manner  the  eater  and  the 
eaten,  the  two  pests  of  the  Orient,  which  all 
men  dreaded,  were  combined  in  one  creature 
to  execute  punishment  upon  the  enemies  of 
God's  people.  Such  action  was  bound  to  have 
a  profound  effect  upon  all  who  caught  the 
vision.  The  sight  of  age-long  enemy  pests  com- 
bined and  turned  to  friendly  allies  would  tre- 


72        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

mendously  hearten  these  tried  saints  of  the 
Lord. 

(4)  "Marks^'  versus  "Seals."  "Marks"  or 
brands  were  often  put  upon  slaves  to  indicate 
their  serfdom.  Temple  slaves  were  frequently 
branded  with  the  insignia  of  the  temple  where 
they  served.  The  imperious  Caligula  had 
branded  Roman  citizens  in  the  face  with  a  hot 
branding  iron  to  show  that  they  were  the  prop- 
erty of  the  empire.  But  one  may  search  the 
suggestive  pages  of  this  pageant  in  vain  for 
one  saint  with  a  "mark"  upon  his  forehead  or 
in  his  hand.  The  "mark"  was  the  property 
sign.  The  "seal"  was  the  sign  of  security,  se- 
crecy, and  the  warrant  of  preservation  until 
certain  purposes  were  achieved.  Let  the  Ro- 
man wear  his  property  "brand"  as  the  ox  in 
the  field  or  the  donkey  at  the  cart !  Not  so  the 
saints.  They  bear  no  "marks"  but  are  "sealed" 
with  God's  seal.  That  seal  was  the  solemn 
token  that  God  was  the  guarantor  of  their 
safety.  None  but  the  living  Son  of  God  could 
open  the  seven-sealed  book.  When  six  seals 
have  been  opened  by  him,  the  keeper  of  the 
seal  of  the  living  God  appears  with  seals  for 
the  forehead  of  the  saints.  This  seal,  which 
no  power  on  earth  could  break  but  Christ,  is 
put  on  the  Rome-hated  children  of  God.  How 
this  action  would  have  comforted  them !    Cal- 


THE  FORM  73 

vinism,  in  its  final  logical  implication,  was  a 
revolting  doctrine,  but  because  it  taught  that 
certain  men  were  God-chosen,  it  put  steel  into 
the  determination  of  men  as  nothing  else  could 
have  done.  So  this  "sealing"  of  God  must 
have  injected  iron  into  the  fabric  of  the  pur- 
pose of  these  saints.  To  be  assured  that  they 
had  been  sealed  of  God  and  that  he  was  thereby 
pledged  to  preserve  inviolate  that  which  he 
had  sealed  must  have  been  of  infinite  comfort. 
(5)  Kings.  Not  forgetting  the  relation  of 
royalty  to  the  persecution,  what  is  done  about 
kings  in  this  pageant?  Not  much  is  said  about 
them,  but  the  action  indicates  they  are  not 
held  in  high  esteem.  Of  a  group  of  eight,  five 
are  dead,  one  is  to  come,  one  is  present,  and 
one  is  to  go  into  perdition.  A  group  of  ten 
kings  are  without  kingdoms,  having  authority 
from  the  beast  who  had  borrowed  his  authority 
from  Satan — even  then  they  were  to  reign  but 
for  one  hour.  "Kings  of  the  earth"  are  held  up 
as  mere  puppets,  being  dominated  by  the 
"woman,"  Rome,  or  else  scurry  away,  with 
their  armies,  to  Har-Magedon  at  the  behest  of 
unclean  spirits  like  frogs.  Once  they  are 
sketched  as  drunken  fornicators.  They  are  de- 
picted as  hiding  in  terror  at  the  display  of 
God's  power.  They  are  described  as  war  part- 
ners of  the  beast.    Once  they  are  listed  with 


74        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

the  common  folks  to  whom  John  is  to  preach 
and  they  are  ultimately  to  bring  their  glory  to 
the  temple  of  God. 

An  angel  empties  his  bowl  upon  the  "Eu- 
phrates" and  it  is  dried  up,  that  a  way  may  be 
made  for  the  "kings  that  come  from  the  sun- 
rising.''  This  allusion  is  probably  to  the  Da- 
cians,  whose  lands  were  adjacent  to  the  empire 
and  almost  directly  east  of  Rome.  They  had 
already  crossed  the  Danube,  called  the  "Eu- 
phrates," as  Rome  is  called  "Babylon,"  and  for 
the  same  reason.  They  conquered  the  Roman 
armies  sent  against  them  by  Domitian  and  dic- 
tated terms  of  peace  which  included  an  annual 
tribute  from  the  haughty  empire.  The  sting- 
ing defeat  had  become  a  scandal  to  Roman 
arms  throughout  the  realm.  The  allusion  car- 
ries the  same  whisper  of  encouragement 
whether  it  be  the  literal  "Euphrates"  or  the 
Danubian  "Euphrates."  There  is  the  same 
striking  thrust  at  the  vulnerableness  of  the 
empire  in  either  case.  Words  could  not  have 
cheered  them  more  than  this  veiled  allusion, 
that  God  had  kings  behind  the  scenes  ready  to 
come  for  conquest.  Scant  consideration  is 
given  the  queen  as  the  natural  consort  of  the 
king.  The  term  is  used  but  once,  when  the 
"Mother  of  Harlots"  refers  to  herself  as  a 
queen ! 


THE  FORM  75 

(6)  Kingdoms.  What  a  joke  is  a  king  with- 
out a  kingdom !  With  fine  irony  John  puts  ten 
kings  in  the  scenic  center  of  this  pageant,  but 
not  one  of  them  has  a  kingdom !  "Kingdom" 
is  a  big  word  on  the  lips  of  Christ.  The  word 
is  reported  in  the  Gospels  more  than  two  hun- 
dred times.  In  the  incomparable  prayer  the 
Master  taught  his  disciples,  the  first  real  note 
of  request  human  lips  are  taught  to  pray  is 
"Thy  kingdom  come."  In  this  pageant  earthly 
kingdoms  are  held  in  slight  esteem,  perhaps 
in  contempt !  The  "Harlot"  has  a  "kingdom" 
of  kings.  Kinglets  give  their  kingdoms  to  the 
beast  only  until  God's  purposes  shall  be  ac- 
complished. A  few  drops  of  the  wrath  of  God 
are  poured  from  the  angel's  bowl  upon  the 
throne  of  the  beast  and  the  whole  kingdom  is 
"darkened."  In  great  jubilation  over  the 
defeat  of  the  devil,  a  great  voice  announces, 
"Now  is  come  the  salvation,  and  the  power, 
and  the  kingdom  of  our  God,  and  the  authority 
of  his  Christ."  In  sharp  contrast  with  the 
earthly  kings  who  reign  for  one  brief  hour,  in 
borrowed  authority,  is  Christ  the  "King  of 
kings  and  Lord  of  lords,"  who  "shall  reign  for- 
ever and  ever." 

(7)  Thrones.  All  the  appurtenances  of  roy- 
alty are  seen  in  this  book.  Reading  it  alone, 
one  would  never  know  that  earthly  kings  pos- 


76        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

sessed  thrones.  Thrice  only  may  thrones  be 
seen  oppugnant  to  the  purpose  of  God.  The 
seat  of  the  Koman  government  at  Pergamum 
is  called  "Satan's  throne."  Another  was  there 
beside  the  imperial  representative — Antipas, 
the  only  martyr  mentioned  by  name  in  the  pag- 
eant. Antipas  stood  for  the  dominion  of 
Christ  though  under  the  shadow  of  "Satan's 
throne."  Few  historians  know  what  Roman 
sat  upon  this  throne,  but  millions  know  that  a 
Roman  throne  was  there  because  the  heroic 
Antipas  lived  and  died  under  its  shadow.  How 
many  souls,  standing  in  places  of  trial,  seeing 
this  devoted  saint  beside  the  Roman  throne, 
stalwart  and  true  as  steel,  have  stood  more 
firmly  because  they  saw  him  in  this  pageant, 
tasting  death  for  Christ.  The  throne  of  the 
beast  is  introduced  twice  in  this  drama,  once 
that  it  may  be  seen  that  he  derived  his  power, 
throne,  and  authority  from  a  defeated  devil 
who  had  instigated  the  persecution,  and  once 
it  appears  just  long  enough  to  show  how  it 
melts  away  at  the  touch  of  God's  wrath.  One 
purchasing  furniture  to  reproduce  this  pag- 
eant would  be  compelled  to  invest  largely  in 
thrones  or  use  a  few  a  good  many  times.  There 
are  thirty-six  episodes  in  which  the  throne  is 
conspicuous.  The  word  is  used  forty-five  times 
in  seventeen  chapters,  and  not  a  trace  of  a 


THE  FORM  77 

devil  upon  forty-two  of  them.  What  a  throne 
room  is  this  pageant!  Twenty-four  elders  sit 
upon  as  many  thrones.  There  are  a  temple 
throne,  a  white  throne  of  victory,  a  rainbow 
throne  of  hope,  thrones  with  lightnings  flash- 
ing from  them,  thrones  of  judgment  with  saints 
seated  upon  them,  and  a  throne  with  a  fleeing 
child  caught  up  to  it  for  shelter.  There  are 
thrones  for  God,  for  Christ  and  for  God  and 
the  Lamb.  The  bloody  Domitian  sits  upon  a 
borrowed  throne !  There  is  no  second  throne, 
but  perdition  for  Nero!  How  suggestive  is 
the  action  with  its  three  borrowed  thrones  for 
evil  and  its  many  thrones  of  stability  and  com- 
manding influence  for  the  hosts  of  right.  Of  a 
truth  "actions  speak  louder  than  words." 

The  white- souled  Son  of  God,  with  rope- 
bound  hands,  stood  before  the  bema  upon 
which  sat  the  soiled-souled  Pilate,  the  Roman. 
In  this  superb  pageant,  in  which  so  many 
earthly  conditions  are  reversed,  Pilate  and  all 
the  Romans  stand  with  sealed  lips  before  the 
judgment  throne  of  Christ.  Munkdcsy  with 
consummate  dramatic  skill  painted  his  "Christ 
Before  Pilate."  Some  day  some  discerning 
son  of  genius  will  paint  its  counterpart,  "Pilate 
Before  Christ,"  and  when  he  does  he  will  catch 
his  loftiest  inspiration  from  the  twentieth 
chapter  of  this  intensely  dramatic  pageant 


78        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

(8)  Crowns.  The  throne  would  be  lone- 
some without  a  crown.  There  are  many 
crowned  heads  in  the  panorama  of  this  strange 
book.  The  crown  was  the  emblem  of  chief  dis- 
tinction, the  insignia  of  power,  the  symbol  of 
royalty.  Despotic  rule  was  universal.  The 
imperial  word  was  final.  There  was  no  appeal 
from  it  except  that  of  the  sword.  Domitian 
had  found  it  easy  to  gain  a  crown,  but  difficult 
to  retain  it.  The  defeat  of  Koman  arms  on  a 
Danubian  battlefield  with  its  imposition  of  an- 
nual tribute,  sealed  by  the  gift  of  a  crown, 
rankled  in  the  heart  of  the  Roman  people.  In 
the  reaction  Antoninus  incited  two  legions  to 
revolt  and  called  the  Germans  to  his  aid. 
Thinking  his  throne  imperiled,  Domitian  began 
a  fearful  slaughter  of  unfriendly  personages, 
on  the  ground  that  they  were  involved  in  the 
uprising.  His  unpopularity,  due  to  the  defeat, 
revolt,  and  slaughter,  led  many  to  believe  that 
his  crown  was  endangered.  Using  current 
speech,  John  wrote  the  church  at  Philadelphia, 
*'Hold  fast  that  no  one  take  thy  crown."  He 
does  not  forget  about  the  significance  of  the 
crown,  though  he  puts  them  upon  heads  un- 
accustomed to  wear  them.  Though  no  earthly 
monarch  wears  one  and  the  beast  has  only  a 
borrowed  one,  yet  there  is  one  for  the  faithful 
Christian.    There  is  a  crown  for  the  bow-carry- 


THE  FORM  79 

ing  rider  of  the  white  horse  and  one  for  the 
king  of  the  locust-horse  allies  of  the  "King  of 
kings/'     Israel  had  her  twelve  tribes,  Christ 
his  twelve  apostles,  and  this  pageant  presents 
its  elders,  equal  in  number  to  both  groups,  and 
each  one  wears  a  crown  of  gold.    The  woman 
who  escapes  from  the  dragon  wears  a  crown  of 
twelve  stars.    The  dragon  has  a  diadem  on  each 
of  his  seven  heads.    The  sea-born  beast  wears 
his  upon  his  horns.     The  cloud-seated  Son  of 
man   who   bears    the   sickle   of   judgment  is 
crowned.     Christ,  King  of  Death  and  Prince 
of  Life,  wears  many  diadems.    John  had  seen 
the  Roman  soldiers  press  the  platted  crown  of 
thorns  upon  the  brow  of  Christ.    He  has  not 
forgotten  that  scene  of  mockery  with  its  de- 
risive shouts  of,  "Hail,  the  king  of  the  Jews  !''^ 
He  knows  that  crowns  belong  by  right  upon 
the  head  once  crowned  with  thorns !    There  are 
seven  diadems  on  the  head  of  the  dragon,  but 
there  are  many  on  the  head  of  Christ.     Thus 
are  they  singled  out  as  leaders  for  the  conflict."^ 
It  is  no  longer  Roman  against  Christian  only ; 
it  is  Christ  against  the  dragon !    What  is  done 
about  crowns  in  the  drama  is  vastly  more  im- 
portant than  anything  that  is  said. 

(9)  Purple.     Royal   purple  was  really  a 

•  John  19.  3. 

» International  Critical  Commentary,  vol.  I,  Charles,  Introduction,  p.  ciii. 


80        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

cheap  thing.  Kich  raiment  easily  becomes 
commonplace  when  worn  unworthily.  John 
saw  the  brutal  Roman  soldiers  throw  the  pur- 
ple robe  over  the  shoulders  of  the  Son  of  God 
and  bend  the  knee  in  derision.  That  scene  was 
yet  a  living  entity  in  his  memory.  He  cannot 
think  of  purple  and  forget  that  hour  of  mock- 
ery. Though  entirely  worthy  to  wear  it,  not 
a  shred  of  purple  is  put  upon  the  Son  of  God, 
and  not  a  thread  upon  an  earthly  potentate. 
Though  purple  had  been  the  peculiar  garment 
of  royalty  for  many  generations  of  kings,  it 
was  too  tawdry  for  the  shoulders  of  the  King 
of  kings,  and  earthly  kings  were  unfit  to  wear 
it.  So  long  had  purple  robes  been  associated 
with  dissolute  royalty  that  when  the  "harlot" 
mounts  the  scarlet  beast  as  the  personification 
of  flaunting  licentiousness  the  purple  and  scar- 
let were  put  upon  her !  Earthly  kings  were  her 
cof  ornicators.  Let  her  wear  the  purple  sign  of 
royalty!  When  the  "harlot"  city  is  decked 
for  its  doom,  the  purple  and  the  scarlet  are 
interwoven  as  its  chief  colors.  When  the  story 
of  the  downfall  of  its  commercial  greatness  is 
told,  the  purple  is  placed  upon  the  counters  of 
the  merchant  princes,  "for  sale,"  as  any  other 
commodity,  if  the  buyer  has  the  price.  What 
is  done  about  the  purple  in  this  pageant  is 
everything;  what  is  said  about  it  is  nothing. 


THE  FORM  81 

4.    ^^Enter  Chrisf^ — A  Dramatic  Necessity 

The  real  drama  opens  with  Christ  saying, 
"I  am  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega."  He  is  the 
first  actor  to  be  seen  and  the  last  to  appear. 
After  the  herald  has  announced  the  opening 
of  the  drama  his  lips  are  first  to  speak  and  he 
is  last  to  be  heard.  He  is  literally  the  "be- 
ginning and  the  end."  Though  he  speaks  many 
times  as  the  drama  progresses,  yet  at  certain 
periods  he  is  silent  (14.  1;  19.  13).  Some  of 
these  appearances  of  Christ  call  for  considera- 
tion at  this  point  because  of  the  peculiarities 
involved  in  them  and  because  a  rational  in- 
terpretation cannot  be  made  apart  from  the 
dramatic  requirement,  "Enter  Christ."  While 
John  is  narrating  what  happened  when  the 
sixth  angel  emptied  the  contents  of  his  bowl 
upon  the  great  River  Euphrates  Christ  sud- 
denly appears,  without  introduction,  and 
makes  announcement  of  the  suddenness  of  his 
coming.  When  he  is  gone  the  narrative  is  com- 
pleted. The  incident  can  best  be  understood 
if  the  book  be  considered  as  a  drama.  It  is 
certain  that  something  not  germane  to  the  nar- 
rative is  here  interjected.  Neither  the  Bang 
James  Version  nor  the  Tauchnitz  edition  by 
Tischendorf  shows  any  recognition  of  that  fact. 
Westcott  and  Hort  set  this  verse  off  by  dashes. 


82        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

The  Eevised  and  American  editions  put  the 
verse  in  parenthesis.^  The  last  three  suggest 
a  difficulty  but  do  not  remedy  it.  Insert  the 
dramatic  requirement — "Enter  Christ" — and 
the  difficulty  is  at  once  dissipated. 

While  one  of  the  angels  of  the  bowls  is  as- 
suring John  of  the  truth  of  the  Herald's  an- 
nouncement in  the  Prologue,  Christ  suddenly 
appears,  without  announcement,  saying,  "Be- 
hold, I  come  quickly"  (1.  1;  22.  6;  22.  7).  He 
must  have  left  the  stage,  because  John  con- 
tinues his  narrative,  and  in  the  next  verse  says 
he  fell  down  at  the  feet  of  the  angel  to  worship 
him.  He  would  not  have  fallen  down  at  the 
feet  of  an  angel  to  worship  him  if  Christ  had 
been  present  (22.  8,  9).  The  angel  resumes 
his  instructions,  when  Christ  again  suddenly 
enters  without  warning  and  says,  "Behold,  I 
come  quickly."  He  continues  to  speak  through- 
out eight  verses,  closing  with  his  reiterated 
saying,  "I  come  quickly."  If  these  unan- 
nounced entrances  and  utterances  of  Christ 
are  prefaced  by  the  dramatic  requirement — 
"Enter  Christ" — all  will  be  clear;  otherwise 
there  is  the  utmost  confusion. 

5.    The  Dramatic  Chorus 

Primitive  races  begin  literature  with  poetry. 

8  Chap.  16.  15.   Apocalypse  of  St.  John,  Swete,  p.  209. 


THE  FORM  83 

Action  precedes  speech  in  individuals  and 
races.  Because  it  combines  action  and  speech 
the  drama  is  usually  one  of  the  earliest  forms 
of  literature.  The  drama  almost  uniformly  be- 
gins with  religious  themes.  The  early  Greek 
drama  was  a  serious  religious  function.  The 
chorus  was  a  striking  feature  of  it.  The  per- 
formers chanted  their  words  as  they  danced 
about  the  altar  in  the  chorus.  It  would  not  be 
difficult  to  conceive  that  the  words  were  not 
always  sung,  but  sometimes  recited  in  unison. 
The  chorus  is  also  an  important  feature  of  the 
Apocalypse.  There  are  thirteen  of  these 
choruses,  or  groups,  and  two  monologues.  Ap- 
proximately, one  word  out  of  twenty-five  in 
the  entire  book  is  spoken  or  sung  by  these 
groups.  The  minimum  number  in  a  chorus  or 
group  is  four,  while  the  maximum  is  ten  thou- 
sand times  ten  thousand  and  thousands  of 
thousands.  With  these  groups  appearing  at 
intervals  to  speak  or  sing,  what  literary  form 
except  the  drama  could  accommodate  them? 

6.    The  Dramatic  Vocabulary^ 

This  strange  book  contains  a  wonderful 
vocabulary  which  is  singularly  rich  in  words 
adapted  to  dramatic  expression.  In  the  final 
analysis  every  form  of  literature  must  employ 

»  See  Appendix  for  brief  list  of  words. 


84        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

words,  but  words  alone  will  not  determine 
form,  althougli  it  would  be  possible  to  select  a 
list  of  nine  hundred  words  which  would  be 
exceedingly  difficult  to  weave  into  a  drama. 
A  list  of  nine  hundred  words,  rich  in  dramatic 
capacity,  such  as  this  book  presents,  is  a  good 
asset  for  the  dramatist.  He  must  have  such  a 
vocabulary  before  he  can  write  his  drama. 
Hamlet  may  say  "Words,  words,'^  even  as 
George  Third  said  to  Hume,  "I  perceive  you 
are  always  a-scribbling."  However,  it  takes 
more  than  words  to  write  a  Hamlet  and  more 
than  scribbling  to  write  a  history  like  that  of 
Hume.  The  striking  vocabulary  of  this  book 
covers  the  whole  range  of  thought  and  action 
of  that  day  in  civics,  religion,  politics,  litera- 
ture, commerce,  domestic  and  social  relations. 
It  is  peculiarly  expressive  of  hope  and  fear, 
love  and  hate,  joy  and  sorrow,  victory  and  de- 
feat, courage  and  despair,  life  and  death. 

7.    The  Dramatis  Personce 

A  drama  without  a  personnel  is  unthinkable. 
The  mere  presence  of  characters  in  a  produc- 
tion does  not  assure  the  dramatic  form.  But 
if  the  personnel  is  of  sufficient  number,  and 
the  different  ones  constantly  act  or  speak,  and 
their  action  is  as  significant  as  what  they  say, 
and  if  they  have  their  entrances  and  exits  in 


THE  FORM  85 

such  combinations  and  at  such  times  as  to 
make  a  distinct  contribution  to  the  dramatic 
effectiveness  of  the  production,  then  the  pres- 
ence of  the  personnel  marks  the  production  as 
dramatic  in  character.  Such  a  list  of  words 
as  found  in  this  book  with  their  flexibility, 
range,  conveying  power,  and  capacity  for  dra- 
matic combination  are  not  grouped  together 
by  chance.  The  presence  of  such  a  list  in  a 
literary  production  which  bears  so  many  other 
essential  marks  of  the  drama,  strongly  sustains 
the  position  that  this  pageant,  as  originally 
apocalypsed  to  John,  was  cast  in  dramatic 
form. 

No  drama  of  any  literature  has  a  more  con- 
spicuous cast  of  characters,  both  as  to  numbers 
and  importance,  than  the  Apocalypse.  Ten  of 
the  leading  Shakespearean  dramas  average  six 
groups  and  twenty-six  individual  characters 
each.  There  are  thirteen  groups,  or  choruses, 
in  the  Apocalypse  and  the  total  number  of 
performers  is  so  great  that  one  must  contrast 
them  with  the  Shakespearean  average  rather 
than  compare  them.  Two  hundred  million 
horsemen  in  one  scene  and  ten  thousand  times 
ten  thousand  and  thousands  of  thousands  of 
angels  in  another  makes  the  brain  fairly  reel 
with  the  stupendousness  of  this  world  drama. 
Suffering  and  injustice  are  as  wide  as  the  sky 


86        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

lines  of  the  world  and  this  drama  must  have 
its  world  setting  to  match  the  world's  need. 

The  Conclusion 

It  is  the  belief  of  the  writer  that  a  brief  re- 
sume of  this  chapter  will  show  that  the  book 
of  Revelation  and  the  original  drama,  of  which 
it  is  the  reporter's  account,  were  neither  strict 
Apocalypse,  predictive  "prophecy,"  nor  prose; 
that  a  literal  interpretation  is  impossible ;  that 
the  drama  is  the  only  form  flexible  enough  to 
meet  all  exigencies  and  to  admit  the  very  ma- 
terials found  in  the  book ;  that  the  Apocalypse 
was  to  be  seen,  heard,  and  read,  which  could 
only  be  true  of  a  drama;  that  action  plays  a 
fundamental  part  in  this  pageant  as  in  the 
drama;  that  the  dramatic  form  alone  makes 
possible  an  intelligent  understanding  of  cer- 
tain sections ;  that  its  vocabulary  is  so  rich  in 
dramatic  capacity  as  to  make  dramatic  inten- 
tion certain ;  and  that  its  wonderful  dramatis 
personoB,  along  with  these  other  features, 
stamps  the  original  pageant  as  a  real  drama. 


"Then  shall  the  wind  sweep  by,  and  he  shall 
pass  away,  and  be  guilty,  even  he  whose  might 
is  his  god.''— Hab.  1.  11. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  POWER 

Power  the  Key  Word 

Power  was  the  key  word  to  the  purpose  and 
policy  of  the  imperial  Roman  government. 
Power  and  the  authority  assumed  to  accom- 
pany its  possession  watermarks  all  Roman 
history.  It  was  the  watchword  of  the  field, 
the  street,  the  camp,  and  the  forum.  It  was  the 
one  star  which  shone  in  the  Roman  firmament 
night  and  day.  Power  was  the  Alpha  and  the 
authority  conferred  by  it  the  Omega  of  the  Ro- 
man alphabet  of  national  procedure.  By 
matchless  feat  of  arms  her  soldiery  had  carried 
the  bronze  eagles  of  authority  to  the  four  winds 
of  heaven.  They  had  no  scruples  about  keep- 
ing what  they  had  won  by  the  power  which 
had  won  it.  The  state  was  not  only  "drunken 
with  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  of  Jesus,'^  but 
also  with  the  lust  for  power.  From  the  most 
menial  citizen,  dependent  upon  the  state  purse 
for  bread,  to  the  most  aristocratic  senator  or 
the  imperator  himself,  each  was  mad  with  the 
lust  for  power.  Rome  was  mistress  of  the  land 
89 


90        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

and  sea.  Her  word  of  authority  had  made 
countless  kings  and  unmade  as  many  more. 
If  any  nation  in  human  history  ever  worshiped 
at  the  shrine  of  power,  that  nation  was  Rome. 
They  were  conspicuous  exemplars  of  the  doc- 
trine that  the  power  to  do  confers  the  right  to 
do.  Possessing  no  illusions  concerning  the 
place  of  power  in  the  offensive  and  defensive 
program  of  the  state,  they  had  no  scruples 
about  using  every  ounce  of  power  at  their  com- 
mand, without  reference  to  right  or  wrong.  At 
the  threshold  of  every  national  endeavor  they 
asked  but  one  question,  even  though  it  touched 
the  boundary  or  other  vital  rights  of  another 
nation.  That  question  was,  "Do  we  have  the 
power  to  take  and  keep?"  With  them  purity 
was  weakness,  virtue  an  Illusion,  justice  an 
empty  name,  and  mercy  an  unknown  quantity. 

Cause  of  Suffering  to  Christians 

The  humble  Christians,  everywhere  in  the 
Dominion,  felt  this  unscrupulous  hand  of 
power.  They  had  scarcely  a  friend  at  the  im- 
perial court.  There  was  not  an  influential 
voice  in  all  the  realm  to  plead  their  rights  as 
human  beings.  To  them  the  emperor  and  his 
advisers,  the  priests  of  emperor  worship,  were 
the  ultimate  embodiments  of  power.  Nothing 
less  than  the  vision  of  an  arm  of  mightier 


THE  POWEE  91 

power  than  that  of  the  emperor  on  the  Roman 
throne  could  comfort  them.  Sheer  might  alone 
could  hope  to  resist  the  power  of  the  Roman 
state.  Whoever  would  be  comforted,  as  he 
felt  the  sting  of  the  Roman  lash,  must  see  tre- 
mendous power  arrayed  against  their  oppres- 
sors. Seeing  the  horses  and  chariots  of  Roman 
power  day^  after  day,  they  needed  some  stal- 
wart soul  who  nestled  on  the  bosom  of  God  to 
say  to  them  as  Elias  had  said  to  his  servant, 
"Fear  not ;  for  they  that  are  with  us  are  more 
than  they  that  are  with  them.^'^  xhe  sage  old 
prophet  knew  there  are  times  when  hearing  is 
not  enough,  so  he  prayed  for  vision  for  his 
servant  and,  "Behold,  the  mountain  was  full  of 
horses  and  chariots  of  fire."  So  hearing  was 
not  enough  for  the  tried  saints  of  the  Lord  in 
the  days  of  Roman  persecution.  They  too  must 
see  the  "horses  and  chariots  of  fire."  The 
Apocalypse  is  the  record  of  the  divinely  sent 
panorama  of  power,  in  which  they  see  the  most 
amazing  display  of  power  ever  given  to  mortal 
vision. 

The  New  Power 

The  advent  of  man  into  the  world  introduced 
a  new  factor,  that  of  moral  power.    Prior  to 


» Beacon  Lights,  Lord,  vol.  I,  p.  229. 
2  2  Kings  6.  16,  17. 


92        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

his  entrance  there  was  the  play  of  gigantic 
world  forces  and  brute  strength  which  domi- 
nated all  within  its  range  without  regard  to 
justice  or  right.  It  was  the  right  of  might.  It 
was  the  law  of  the  marsh,  the  plain,  the  jungle, 
the  sea,  and  the  air.  It  was  "red  in  tooth  and 
claw.'^ 

Man  possessed  all  the  powers  of  the  brute, 
but  in  lesser  degree  than  many  of  the  beasts 
about  him.  His  physical  inferiority  was  sup- 
plemented by  superior  brain  power.  This 
evened  the  scale  somewhat,  but  did  not  fulfill 
the  purpose  of  his  creation.  He  brought  with 
him  a  capacity  for  receiving  and  applying 
power  of  a  higher  order  than  any  which  had 
been  displayed  in  the  world.  The  new  power 
was  moral  and  spiritual.  Man  was  animal 
with  a  plus  which  was  denied  all  other  animals. 
The  plus  was  designed  to  become  the  con- 
trolling function  of  life.  In  spite  of  this,  the 
law  of  the  jungle  triumphed  over  him  when 
his  appetite  betrayed  him.  Very  early  in  the 
history  of  the  race  some  men  were  called  "sons 
of  God"  and  some  women  were  designated 
"daughters  of  men,"  probably  because  in  some 
the  moral  traits  predominated  while  in  others 
the  animal  qualities  remained  in  the  mas- 
tery.^ 

>  Gen.  6.  4. 


THE  POWER  93 

Man^s  Double  Capacity 

Because  man  possessed  moral  and  animal 
capacities  two  divergent  paths  opened  before 
him.  He  could  seek  triumph  by  force,  abetted 
by  superior  mental  equipment,  without  regard 
to  right.  He  could  elect  to  seek  his  triumph 
within  the  limitations  of  justice  and  right,  by 
the  pursuit  of  righteousness.  The  whole  fabric 
of  human  history  shows  some  of  these  strands 
woven  and  interwoven  through  it.  Conquest 
by  moral  means  particularly  distinguishes  the 
race  through  which  the  Bible  was  given  to  the 
world.  The  Bible  is  the  conspicuous  main 
record  of  the  human  effort  to  triumph  by  moral 
means.  From  the  days  of  Cain,  who  con- 
quered by  the  bludgeon,  and  of  Abel,  who  was 
slain  as  he  resisted  by  the  power  of  right,  every 
great  crisis  in  the  history  of  this  race  reveals 
the  presence  of  these  two  courses  of  conduct 
When  the  tide  of  brute  force,  in  its  myriad 
forms,  well  nigh  submerged  this  race,  it  in- 
stinctively turned  to  the  Source  of  Right  for 
comfort,  strength,  and  the  "will  to  victory." 
"Not  by  might  nor  by  power,  but  by  my  Spirit, 
saith  the  Lord,"  was  first  upon  the  lip  and 
then  upon  the  stylus  of  Zechariah.  That  is  an 
epitome  of  the  struggle  in  his  day  and  of  pro- 
phetic endeavor  in  the  entire  Old  Testament.'* 

*  The  Coining  of  the  Lord,  Snowden,  p.  89. 


94        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

Christ  and  the  New  Power 

When  the  Son  of  God  tabernacled  among 
men,  to  establish  the  Kingdom  of  the  Father, 
his  whole  adventure  in  the  human  realm  was 
marked  by  the  play  of  these  two  forces.  The 
experience  of  the  forty  days  of  Temptation, 
during  which  he  was  choosing  his  method  of 
life  work,  revolves  about  the  point  of  contact 
between  these  two  forces  as  a  center.^  He 
could  have  made  stone  into  bread  without  sin, 
as  he  made  water  into  wine  without  sinning. 
The  appeal  was  to  make  bread  for  self.  The 
wine  was  made  for  others.  There  was  the 
kingly  conception  of  the  Messiah — that  of  force 
without  regard  to  right.  His  own  people  were 
suffering  grievously  at  the  hands  of  Imperial 
Kome  as  the  victims  of  this  program.  The  na- 
tional  thought  expected  the  Messiah  to  Jead 
armed  hosts  to  battle  to  win  their  freedom. 
How  he  could  have  rationed  an  army  had  he 
turned  stones  to  bread.  Man  must  have  bread, 
but  he  must  have  more.  He  must  have  the 
whole  realm  of  moral  right  with  God  at  the 
zenith.  As  a  bread  maker  Christ  would  have 
been  superb  timber  for  kingship.  Making 
bread  for  his  own  use  was  the  first  step  and  he 
chose  not  to  take  it.    A  leap  from  the  pinnacle 

s  Ibid.,  p.  91. 


THE  POWER  95 

of  the  Temple  would  have  made  him  immensely 
popular,  but  popularity  looked  toward  king- 
ship with  its  program  of  brute  force.  The  lure 
of  the  kingdoms  of  the  world — the  reward  of 
the  conquering  king — also  led  to  inevitable 
conquest  by  arms. 

Christ's  Choice 

Christ's  choice  was  between  the  power  which 
characterized  the  world  before  the  days  of  man 
and  the  power  which  the  advent  of  man  intro- 
duced. He  deliberately  selected  the  hard  path 
of  world  conquest  by  moral  and  spiritual 
means.  In  order  to  carry  out  his  chosen  pro- 
gram he  became  the  Teacher  and  Preacher  of 
truth.  When  the  tide  of  popularity  ran  high 
because  of  his  healings  he  frequently  broke 
away  from  this  work  of  mercy  to  avoid  prema- 
ture refusal  of  kingship.  His  final  refusal 
marked  the  beginning  of  his  decline  in  popu- 
larity. His  chosen  pathway  led  straight  to 
Calvary  and  world  conquest  through  it.  He 
is  the  world's  greatest  exponent  of  the 
might  of  right.  Encouraged  by  his  ex- 
ample and  leadership,  his  followers,  who 
wrote  the  New  Testament  in  their  blood, 
became  the  champions  of  the  doctrine  of 
their  Master  that  right  was  supreme 
(Matt.  6.33). 


96        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

Christ  and  Pilate 

Christ's  program  included  world  conquest. 
The  Koman  program  also  included  world  con- 
quest, and  Pilate  was  the  personal  representa- 
tive of  that  government.  The  two  methods  of 
world  conquest  were  represented  in  these  two 
characters.  They  "talked  shop''  when  they 
met,  and  John,  the  author  of  the  Apocalypse 
record,  is  the  only  one  who  reports  that  con- 
versation. Said  Pilate  to  Christ,  "Art  thou 
King  of  the  Jews?''  Christ  answered,  "My 
kingdom  is  not  of  this  world :  if  my  kingdom 
were  of  this  world,  then  would  my  servants 
fight."^  "Art  thou  a  king  then?"  questioned 
Pilate.  Jesus  answered :  "To  this  end  have  I 
been  born,  and  to  this  end  am  I  come  into  the 
world,  that  I  should  bear  witness  unto  the 
truth."^  Because  Christ's  program  was  so 
vitally  different  from  that  of  the  world  leader- 
ship of  that  day  he  was  compelled  to  adopt  a 
different  method  for  its  success.  His  method 
in  the  program  of  world  conquest  was  "Go 
and  teach."  Every  great  world  leader  would 
have  spurned  his  "Tarry-ye-at-Jerusalem" 
method  of  equipment  for  service.  In  all  the 
great  crises  incident  to  the  new  program  with 
its  new  method  the  Christians  had  been  taught 

•  John  18.  36. 
'John  18.37. 


THE  POWER  97 

to  rely  upon  spiritual  power  for  wisdom,  sus- 
tenance, and  ultimate  success.  In  apocalyptic 
days  they  were  engaged  in  a  conflict  which 
would  determine  if  the  new  method  could  suc- 
ceed with  all  the  civic  power  of  the  regime  of 
force  hurled  against  it. 

The  Old  Hope 

The  apocalyptic  hope  of  divine  aid  for  the 
followers  of  Christ  was  not  a  new  message. 
That  hope  had  been  a  dominant  one  from  the 
days  of  Adam.  The  new  element  lay  in  the 
unusual  methods  made  necessary  by  the  pe- 
culiar conditions  surrounding  those  who  were 
suffering  persecution.  There  had  probably 
never  been  such  a  demand  for  a  display  of 
power  as  this  period  required.  Such  a  com- 
plete ensemble  of  power  display  as  this  drama 
presents  had  never  been  attempted.  The  mas- 
siveness  and  sheer  display  of  potency  mark 
this  book  as  unique  in  the  literature  of  the 
world.  In  its  massing  of  power  it  puts  the 
capsheaf  upon  the  shock  of  the  world's  hope, 
which  had  been  painfully  gathered,  straw  by 
straw,  through  the  centuries.  Every  blade  and 
stem  in  the  shock  had  grown  in  the  soil  of 
the  conception  that  the  ultimate  triumph  of 
moral  right  over  material  world  forces  was 
certain. 


98        THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

The  Vocabulary  of  Power 

Six  outstanding  words  for  power  are  used  in 
the  New  Testament.  All  six  of  them  are  found 
in  the  Apocalypse.  No  other  book  of  equal 
length  employs  them  all.  Luke  is  the  only 
other  book  in  which  they  are  all  used.  They 
are  employed  in  Luke  once  to  every  twenty- 
nine  verses.  The  Apocalypse  uses  one  of  them 
to  every  nine  verses.  On  the  verse  basis,  the 
ratio  of  use  is  three  times  as  great  in  the  Apoea- 
lypse  as  in  the  Gospel  by  Luke.  This  stamps 
the  book  as  unique  in  usage  of  words  for  power. 

The  Symbol  of  Pov^er 

For  many  generations  the  throne  had  been 
the  symbol  of  power.  There  is  a  throne  in 
every  chapter  of  the  book,  except  the  ninth, 
tenth,  thirteenth,  fifteenth,  seventeenth,  and 
eighteenth.  The  word  is  used  an  average 
of  twice  to  each  chapter  in  the  book.  Each 
chapter  in  which  the  word  does  not  appear 
fairly  throbs  with  power,  and  in  all  but  the 
thirteenth  it  keeps  step  with  righteousness. 
There  is  a  power  of  evil  in  the  thirteenth  which 
is  later  overcome  by  the  might  of  right. 

Evil  Not  Minimized 

This  book  never  seeks  to  comfort  the  Chris- 


THE  POWER  99 

tians  by  minimizing  the  power  of  their 
enemies.  Author  and  reader  alike  fully  under- 
stood the  power  of  the  "beast.''  The  horn  was 
symbolic  of  power  to  the  Oriental,  and  a  ten- 
horned  beast  rises  from  the  sea,  bearing  names 
of  blasphemy  on  his  heads  and  diadems  on  his 
horns.  Power,  a  throne  and  great  authority 
were  given  him  by  the  dragon.^  His  followers 
believed  his  might  to  be  so  irresistible  that  they 
challenged  comparison.^  He  was  empowered 
to  make  war  against  the  saints  and  to  over- 
come them  and  authority  over  "every  tribe  and 
tongue  and  nation"  was  conferred  upon  him. 
His  power  was  described  as  so  great  that  "If 
any  man  is  for  captivity,  into  captivity  he  go- 
eth."  A  second  "beast,"  having  all  the  "au- 
thority of  the  first  beast,"  came  up  out  of  the 
earth,  having  two  horns  like  a  lamb  and  a  voice 
like  a  dragon.  Blind  and  aged  Isaac,  half  un- 
deceived by  the  ruse  of  his  son  Jacob,  said, 
"The  voice  is  Jacob's  voice,  but  the  hands  are 
the  hands  of  Esau."  So  the  horns  of  the  beast 
may  have  been  those  of  an  innocent  lamb,  but 
the  voice  was  the  voice  of  a  dragon.  This 
"beast"  undoubtedly  is  the  priesthood  of  Im- 
perial Worship.  He  compelled  the  worship  of 
the  first  beast,  and  it  was  said  that  he  had 


•  Rev.  13.  2. 

•  Bev.  13.  4. 


100      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

power  to  bring  fire  down  from  heaven  and  to 
give  breath  and  speech  to  the  human-made 
image  of  the  first  beast.  He  was  empowered  to 
slay  all  nonconformists  and  to  prohibit  those 
not  bearing  the  "mark  of  the  beast"  from  buy- 
ing and  selling  in  the  markets. 

Angels  of  Power 

The  introduction  of  angels  into  this  drama 
warrants  more  than  a  cursory  consideration. 
Their  presence  alone  is  remarkable,  but  the 
power  revealed  in  and  through  them  is  signifi- 
cant indeed.  They  are  mentioned  one  hundred 
and  fifteen  times  in  the  Old  Testament  and  one 
hundred  and  four  times  in  the  New  Testament, 
besides  the  Apocalypse,  while  the  latter  em- 
ploys the  word  seventy-five  times,  or  one  third 
as  many  times  as  in  the  rest  of  the  entire 
Bible.  Putting  the  matter  concretely,  the  word 
is  used  in  the  rest  of  the  Bible  once  to  every  five 
chapters,  while  in  the  Apocalypse  the  word  oc- 
curs more  than  three  times  to  every  chapter, 
making  the  ratio  sixteen  times  as  great  in  the 
Apocalypse  as  in  the  rest  of  the  Bible.  It  is 
the  book  of  angels  of  the  entire  Bible  and  most 
of  them  are  beings  of  mighty  power. 

The  Book  of  Angels 

Is  there  a  jagged  bit  of  sky  line  anywhere 


THE  POWER  101 

in  the  book,  with  scraggly  and  gnarled  stumps 
of  trees  showing  the  marks  of  the  storm  of 
fury  where  evil  had  swept  the  horizon,  leaving 
only  broken  fragments  in  its  path  of  desola- 
tion? There  is  an  angel  there  among  the  de- 
bris. Is  there  a  wind  from  some  unexpected 
quarter  which  may  sweep,  with  its  blistering 
and  blighting  touch,  the  broken  fragments, 
which  a  pitiless  persecution  has  overlooked? 
There  is  an  angel  with  the  winds  in  his  power 
for  that  exigency.  Is  there  an  altar  where  the 
deluge  of  persecution  has  poured  down  its  in- 
human torrent  until  the  flickering  blaze  seems 
likely  to  go  out?  God  has  an  angel  at  that 
altar  with  "power  over  fire."  Is  there  a  church 
among  the  seven  so  harassed  by  the  minions 
of  Rome  that  it  needs  more  than  human  help? 
Christ  puts  an  angel  at  the  door  of  each  church. 
Their  presence  in  so  many  places,  performing 
so  many  tasks,  is  striking  indeed,  but  that  they 
are  under  the  command  of  a  Power  so  mighty 
that  the  human  mind  staggers  in  its  attempt  to 
conceive  it,  is  still  more  impressive. 

Power  Episodes 

There  are  two  series  of  power  displays,  of 
seven  episodes  each,  nearly  paralleling  each 
other  but  differing  slightly  in  application  and 
results.    There  is  one  in  the  first  half  of  the 


102      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

book  and  one  in  the  latter  half.  In  the  first 
one  seven  trumpeter  angels  feature  such  dis- 
plays of  power  that  they  seem  almost  uncanny 
and  make  the  reader  feel  as  if  he  had  been 
transported  to  fairyland  or  had  fallen  under 
the  spell  of  some  amazing  witchery.  When  the 
first  trumpeter  sounded,  hail  and  fire  mingled 
with  blood  fell  into  the  earth  and  a  great  con- 
flagration ensued  in  which  one  third  of  the 
earth,  trees  and  green  grass  was  consumed. 
At  the  sounding  of  the  second  trumpet,  a  great 
mountain  of  flaming  fire  was  flung  into  the  sea, 
turning  one  third  of  it  to  blood,  slaying  one 
third  of  the  marine  creatures  and  destroying 
one  third  of  the  shipping.  When  the  third 
trumpeter  sounded,  a  huge  blazing  comet,  trail- 
ing fire,  fell  upon  the  rivers  and  fountains, 
turning  one  third  of  them  to  wormwood  and 
many  men  died  from  drinking  the  water. 
When  the  fourth  angel  sounded,  a  third  part 
of  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  was  smitten  with 
darkness.  At  the  sound  of  the  fifth  trumpet 
a  huge  star  fell  into  the  earth  as  a  signal  for 
the  release  of  the  locust  hordes.  When  the 
sixth  angel  sounded,  a  voice  from  the  horns  of 
the  golden  altar  ordered  the  release  of  four 
bound  angels  in  waiting  at  the  Euphrates.  The 
angels  ordered  a  charge  of  two  hundred  million 
galloping  horsemen  to  slay  the  third  of  men. 


THE  POWER  103 

At  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet  voices 
in  heaven  proclaimed  the  ever-regnant  Christ, 
elders  gave  thanks,  the  heavenly  temple  opened 
and   lightning,   voices   and   thunders,   earth 
quakes  and  great  hail  followed.     What  an 
amazing  display  of  power !    Hail  and  fire  min 
gled  with  blood,  mighty  conflagrations,  flam 
ing  mountains  splashing  in  the  heart  of  seas 
blading  comets,  an  opened  pit  emitting  locust 
hordes  as  smoke,  commandant  angels  ordering 
millions  into  action,  lightning,  thunders,  earth- 
quakes, sun,  moon,  and  stars  are  all  obedient 
servants  to  a  mighty  power  behind  the  scenes. 
We  shall  miss  the  pertinency  if  we  miss  the 
amazing  exhibition  of  power. 

The  second  set  of  seven  power  episodes  opens 
with  a  notable  scene  in  the  heavenly  temple 
when  a  Living  Creature  gives  to  each  of  seven 
angels  a  golden  bowl  filled  with  the  wrath  of 
God  and  directs  them  to  go  their  ways  and 
empty  their  bowls.  The  first  emptied  the  con- 
tents of  his  bowl  into  the  earth  and,  as  if  by 
magic,  grievous  sores  broke  out  upon  those 
bearing  the  "mark  of  the  beast"  and  those 
worshiping  his  image.  The  second  angel  emp- 
tied his  bowl  upon  the  sea,  and  it  became  as 
the  blood  of  dead  men,  and  every  living  thing 
in  it  died.  The  third  bowl  bearer  emptied  his 
vessel  upon  the  rivers  and  fountains  of  water, 


104       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

and  they  were  turned  to  blood.  The  fourth 
angel  journeyed  to  the  sun  and  poured  the 
contents  of  his  bowl  upon  it,  and  it  flamed  up 
with  such  intense  heat  that  men  were  scorched 
by  it.  The  fifth  emptied  his  bowl  upon  the 
throne  of  the  "beast,"  and  the  kingdom  was 
darkened  and  his  courtly  followers  gnawed 
their  tongues  in  pain.  The  sixth  angel  emptied 
his  bowl  upon  the  river  "Euphrates,"  and  its 
waters  were  dried  up  for  the  passage  of  the 
kings  from  the  sunrising.  The  seventh  flung 
the  contents  of  his  bowl  into  the  air,  and  there 
were  lightnings,  thunder,  and  a  mighty  earth- 
quake and  every  island  fled  away  and  the 
mountains  were  not  found.  What  a  sweeping 
range  of  power !  Men,  sea,  and  sea  life,  rivers 
and  fountains,  the  sun  and  its  heat,  the  throne 
of  evil,  the  current  of  a  mighty  river,  air, 
lightning,  thunder,  earthquake,  island  and 
mountain,  all  are  mightily  moved  by  the  power 
behind  these  angel  messengers.  What  these 
scenes  may  or  may  not  signify  is  not  so  per- 
tinent at  this  point,  but  it  is  all  important  that 
so  many  angels,  acting  under  divine  orders, 
introduce  such  scenes  of  power  over  earth,  air, 
sea,  sky,  mankind,  and  the  throne  of  evil. 

The  Choeus  and  Power 
The  chorus  plays  a  significant  part  in  mir- 


THE  POWER  105 

raring  the  essential  elements  of  power  in  this 
pageant.  The  first  group  is  composed  of  four 
Living  Creatures,  who  have  such  power  at  their 
command  that  they  have  only  to  utter  the 
magic  word,  "Come,'^  and  the  white  horse  with 
its  crowned  rider,  the  red  horse  with  its  be- 
sworded  rider,  War,  the  black  horse  ridden  by 
Famine,  and  the  pale  horse  ridden  by  Death 
gallop  across  the  stage.  The  second  group  is 
composed  of  twenty-four  Elders  seated  upon 
as  many  thrones  encircling  the  throne  of  God. 
Twenty-five  thrones  in  this  scene  alone  is  the 
warrant  for  power.  The  third  group  is  com- 
posed of  the  Creatures  and  Elders  represent- 
ing power  combined.  Great-voiced  angels  are 
added  to  the  Creatures  and  Elders  to  consti- 
tute the  fourth  group,  making  a  triple-powered 
one.  The  massing  of  "every  created  thing"  sug- 
gests power  in  a  most  unusual  combination. 
When  the  unnumbered,  white-robed,  and 
palm-bearing  hosts  express  their  adulation  of 
the  Enthroned  One  their  sheer  force  of  num- 
bers commands  assent  to  their  power.  There 
is  a  striking  display  of  power  when  the  hosts 
of  angels  about  the  throne  and  the  Living 
Creatures  and  Elders  fall  on  their  faces  to  wor- 
ship. Great  Voices  in  Heaven  chanting  a 
paean  of  praise  about  the  regnancy  of  Christ 
convey  the  impression  of  power.    Elders  wor- 


106      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

shiping  God  as  the  Almighty  and  giving  thanks 
for  his  power  is  a  direct  method  of  expressing 
the  idea  of  power  so  prevalent  in  this  pageant. 
The  chanting  chorus  of  one  hundred  and  forty- 
four  thousand  having  voices  like  the  sound  of 
many  waters  or  the  voice  of  a  great  thunder 
certainly  contribute  their  proportion  to  the 
array  of  power  presented  by  the  actors  in  these 
groups.  Hosts  who  were  victors  over  the 
"beast/^  singing  the  victory  song  of  Moses  and 
the  Lamb  about  God  the  Almighty,  strike  the 
power  note  with  no  uncertain  tone.  The  great- 
voiced  multitude  in  heaven,  mingling  hallelu- 
jahs and  praises  about  the  power  and  glory  of 
God,  gives  unique  emphasis  to  the  power  ele- 
ment so  characteristic  of  these  groups.  The 
great  multitude  extolling  God  as  the  regnant 
Almighty,  with  voices  like  the  sound  of  many 
waters  and  mighty  thunders,  is  a  fitting  climax 
to  this  remarkable  series  of  groups  which  ap- 
pear with  such  visible  evidences  of  power.  The 
actors  in  these  groups  are  vested  with  power, 
and  potency  colors  the  sentiment  which  they 
speak  or  sing,  and  all  is  intensified  by  the  sight 
of  a  throne  in  the  scenic  background  of  every 
appearance. 

Voices  of  Powbe 

"Voices"  feature  this  pageant.     They  are 


THE  POWER  107 

mentioned  fifty-six  times,  twenty  times  of 
which  they  are  described  as  "great'^  voices. 
Four  of  them  are  accompanied  by  thunder,  and 
in  nine  instances  they  are  described  as  "of 
thunder"  and  in  five  of  the  nine  they  are  said 
to  be  like  the  sound  of  many  waters  also.  In 
three  cases  the  voices  are  trumpetlike.  Twice 
the  voice  of  Christ  is  likened  to  the  "voice  of 
many  waters."  Four  voices  are  loud  enough 
to  be  heard  from  heaven.  One  voice  is  from 
the  horns  of  the  golden  altar  before  God.  One 
is  like  the  voice  of  "many  waters  and  mighty 
thunders."  Another  is  heard  "from  the 
throne."  An  angel  is  said  to  have  "mighty 
voice."  The  angel  in  the  sun  had  a  "loud" 
voice.  But  one  voice  in  the  book  may  be  as- 
sumed to  have  been  a  quiet  one,  the  voice  of 
the  bridegroom  and  the  bride.  Even  the 
"voices"  of  the  harps  are  described  as  the 
"voice  of  many  waters  and  the  voice  of  a  great 
thunder."  It  is  significant  that  the  word  for 
"voice"  is  used  twice  as  many  times  in  this 
pageant  as  in  the  book  of  Acts,  and  more  times 
than  in  all  the  Gospels,  and  in  every  case  but 
one,  in  the  Apocalypse,  it  is  connected  with 
some  word  suggestive  of  power. 

The  Power  of  Natural  Forces 

In  the  initial  stages  of  power  display  the 


108      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

Lamb  is  often  connected  with  the  natural 
forces  of  the  world  and  at  his  touch  they  imme- 
diately come  into  play.  When  he  opened  the 
sixth  seal  "there  was  a  great  earthquake,''  the 
sun  turned  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair,  the  moon 
became  as  blood,  the  stars  of  heaven  fell  into 
the  earth,  the  heaven  was  removed  as  a  scroll, 
and  every  mountain  and  island  were  moved  out 
of  their  place.  How  could  one  conceive  of  a 
greater  display  of  power? 

The  two  humble  witnesses  were  empowered 
to  destroy  their  enemies  with  fire,  to  shut  the 
heavens,  to  turn  water  into  blood,  and  to  smite 
the  earth  with  every  plague.  They  were  so 
enshielded  by  power  that  the  breath  of  God 
came  into  them  after  three  and  one  half  days, 
they  were  caught  up  to  heaven  in  a  cloud,  a 
mighty  earthquake  shook  the  city  and  seven 
thousand  were  slain.  Cloud  and  earthquake 
fought  against  their  enemies  as  the  "stars  in 
their  courses"  had  fought  against  Sisera. 

Outstanding  World  Forces 

Forces  of  nature,  as  the  earthquake,  moon, 
sun,  stars,  lightning,  thunder,  wind,  rain,  hail, 
rivers,  fire,  air,  and  clouds,  are  used  in  a  supra- 
natural  way  in  the  Apocalypse  eighty-two 
times.  They  are  utilized  in  a  similar  fashion 
thirty-four  times  in  the  Gospels  and  nineteen 


THE  POWER  109 

times  in  the  rest  of  the  New  Testament.  Omit- 
ting the  duplications,  some  one  of  these  forces 
is  used  in  a  supranatural  way  once  to  every 
one  hundred  and  fifty-seven  verses  in  the  New 
Testament,  while  they  appear  once  to  every  five 
verses  in  the  Apocalypse.  On  the  verse  basis 
the  ratio  is  thirty-one  to  one  in  favor  of  the 
Apocalypse. 

Natural  forces  were  used  in  a  supranatural 
way  to  aid  the  work  or  the  workers  in  the  es- 
tablishment of  God's  program  long  prior  to 
the  days  of  the  Apocalypse.  The  earthquake 
was  used  to  strengthen  Elijah  (1  Kings  19. 
11).  Isaiah  declared  God  would  visit  his  ene- 
mies with  "thunder,  earthquake,  and  devour- 
ing fire''  (Isa.  29.  6) .  There  was  an  earthquake 
at  the  time  of  the  crucifixion  and  the  resurrec- 
tion (Matt.  27.  54;  Matt.  28.  2).  The  earth- 
quake figures  conspicuously  as  an  ally  of  the 
cause  of  right  in  four  chapters  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse. The  sun  and  moon  were  reputed  to  have 
stood  still  over  Ajalon  (Josh.  10.  13).  Joel 
represented  God  as  saying,  "I  will  show  won- 
ders in  the  heavens  and  in  the  earth:  blood, 
and  fire,  and  pillars  of  smoke.  The  sun  shall 
be  turned  into  darkness,  and  the  moon  into 
blood"  (Joel  2.  30,  31).  The  sun's  light  failed 
at  the  crucifixion  (Luke  23.  45).  The  sun  be- 
came "black  as  sackcloth  of  hair,"  the  "whole 


110       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

moon  became  as  blood/^  and  pillars  of  smoke 
appear  in  the  Apocalypse  (6.  12;  8.  12;  9.  2; 
19.  3 ) .    The  moon  furnishes  a  footstool  for  the 
mother  of  the  expected  child  (12.  1). 
Deborah  sang: 

"From  heaven  fought  the  stars, 
From    their    courses    they    fought    against 
Sisera." — Judges  5.  20. 

Isaiah  prophesied  that  in  the  day  of  God's 
wrath  the  stars  would  fail  to  give  their  light 
( Isa.  13.  10 ) .  Joel  declared  that  in  God's  day 
the  stars  would  "withdraw  their  shining" 
( Joel  2.  10 ) .  A  "star  in  the  east"  heralded  the 
Saviour's  birth  (Matt.  2.  2).  The  "stars  of 
heaven  fell  into  the  earth,"  stars  were  dark- 
ened, a  great  star  fell  like  a  "burning  torch" 
and  the  mother  of  the  unborn  child  was 
crowned  with  twelve  stars,  in  the  Apocalypse 
(6.  13;  8.  10;  8.  12;  12.  1).  Thunders,  light- 
nings, fire,  smoke,  and  a  quaking  mountain  ap- 
peared at  the  giving  of  the  Law  (Exod.  19. 
16-18 ) .  Hail  mingled  with  fire  fell  in  Egypt 
(Exod.  9.  24).  Thunders,  lightnings,  fire,  and 
hail  mingled  with  fire  appears  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse (4.  5;  11.  19;  20.  9;  8.  7).  Waters  and 
rivers  were  turned  to  blood  in  Egypt  (Exod. 
7.  20 ) .  Seas,  rivers,  and  fountains  were  turned 
to  blood  in  the  Apocalypse  (8.  8 ;  16.  3,  4) .  God 


THE  POWER  111 

made  a  furrow  through  the  Red  Sea  with  the 
wind  for  a  plow  (Exod.  14.  21).  Christ  was 
Master  of  the  winds  (Matt.  8.  27).  Four  an- 
gels were  given  the  mastery  of  the  winds  in 
Revelation  (7.  1).  Moses  cast  handfuls  of 
ashes  into  the  air  and  boils  and  blains  ap- 
peared upon  man  and  beast  (Exod.  9.  10,  11). 
An  angel  of  the  bowl  emptied  the  contents 
upon  the  earth  in  the  Apocalypse  and  a  "noi- 
some and  grievous  sore'^  broke  out  upon  men 
bearing  the  "mark  of  the  beast."  Jehovah 
"rained  brimstone  and  fire  out  of  heaven  upon 
Sodom  and  upon  Gomorrah"  (Gen.  19.  24). 
John  once  asked  the  Master  if  he  should  "bid 
fire  to  come  down  out  of  heaven  and  consume" 
some  inhospitable  folks  (Luke  9.  54).  "Fire 
came  down  out  of  heaven  and  devoured"  the 
enemies  of  the  saints  in  the  Apocalypse,  and 
they  were  cast  into  the  lake  of  "fire  and  brim- 
stone" (20.  9, 10).  God  told  Solomon  what  to 
do  when  he  "shut  up  the  heavens  so  that  there 
is  no  rain"  (2  Chron.  7.  13).  Thunder  and 
rain  were  sent,  in  harvest  time,  in  response  to 
the  prayer  of  Samuel  (1  Sam.  12.  18).  The 
two  "witnesses"  in  the  Apocalypse  had  power 
to  "shut  the  heaven,  that  it  rain  not"  during 
the  days  of  their  preaching  (11.  6). 

Thus  had  the  people  of  God  been  taught 
through  the  centuries,  that  in  times  of  great 


112      THE  LION  AKD  THE  LAMB 

stress  and  trial  the  forces  of  the  natural  ele- 
ments might  interpose,  in  a  supranatural  way, 
in  their  behalf.  Now  that  the  people  of  God 
were  passing  through  one  of  the  most  trying 
periods  in  the  history  of  Christianity,  would 
it  not  be  a  perfectly  natural  thing  if  God 
should  resort  to  the  age-old  expediency  of  com- 
forting them  by  "showing^'  them  the  power 
behind  the  scenes  which  would  be  theirs  in  the 
hour  of  their  deepest  need?  In  this  respect 
the  Apocalyptic  message  is  not  a  new  one,  but 
an  old  one  in  new  combinations  and  well  cal- 
culated to  strengthen  the  morale  of  the  per- 
secuted Christians,  by  showing  them  how  all 
the  great  forces  of  the  world  were  arrayed  upon 
the  side  of  the  right  and  were  ready  to  inter- 
pose, in  a  supranatural  way,  in  their  behalf. 
The  Apocalypse  presents  a  new  alignment  of 
familiar  forces  in  order  to  match  new  world 
needs.  That  all  this  display  of  power  was  hap- 
hazard or  purposeless  is  unthinkable.  Its  very 
presence  in  the  scenes  of  this  pageant  argues 
intent  upon  the  part  of  the  Divine  Author  to 
strengthen  the  morale  of  these  persecuted  souls 
by  unveiling  to  their  sight  the  tremendous 
power  of  personal  and  world  forces  which  were 
arrayed  against  wrong. 


"For  our  wrestling  is  not  against  flesh  and 
blood,  but  against  the  principalities,  against 
the  powers,  against  the  world  rulers  of  this 
darkness,  against  the  spiritual  hosts  of  wick- 
edness in  the  heavenly  places.'^ — Eph.  6. 12. 


CHAPTER  IV 
THE  CONFLICT 

A  Book  of  Conflict 

The  Apocalypse  is  preeminently  a  book  of 
conflict.  It  is  a  conspicuous  mirror  of  a  frag- 
ment of  a  conflict  which  is  age-old  and  world- 
wide. In  the  dim  dawn  of  history  the  Creator 
said  to  the  serpent,  ^'I  will  put  enmity  between 
thee  and  the  w^oman,  and  between  thy  seed  and 
her  seed''  (Gen.  3.  15).  This  conflict  for  su- 
premacy has  known  no  color  line  nor  racial 
barrier.  Climate  has  not  curbed  it,  nor  longi- 
tude evaded  it.  It  has  followed  man  in  all  his 
journeys  upon  the  land,  and  when  he  con- 
structed his  first  rude  boat  and  ventured  upon 
the  water  it  embarked  with  him.  It  is  no 
stranger  to  hut  or  palace.  Neither  riches  nor 
poverty  have  been  able  to  avoid  it.  Field,  for- 
est, city,  plain,  and  rugged  mountain  bear  the 
imprint  of  the  footsteps  of  the  contenders  in 
the  conflict.  Every  advance  made  by  the  race 
has  opened  new  gateways  for  its  entrance.  The 
day  the  first  rude  stone  battle-ax  was  fashioned 
or  the  first  stone-pointed  arrow  leaped  from 
115 


116      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

the  bow,  the  moral  conflict  entered  a  wider- 
ranged  horizon.  What  would  man  do  with  his 
new  weapon?  Would  he  use  it  justly  or  un- 
justly? Would  it  become  an  instrument  to 
liberate  or  to  enslave?  The  new  instrument 
entailed  new  moral  responsibility  as  it  might 
be  used  to  promote  justice  or  injustice.  As  the 
elements  of  civilization  have  come  upon  the 
stage  of  action  one  by  one,  the  horizon  of  the 
fields  of  conflict  has  constantly  widened. 
Under  every  sky  wrong  will  constantly  contend 
with  right  and  right  must  unceasingly  war 
against  wrong. 

The  Fighting  Book  of  the  New  Testament 

The  Apocalypse  is  the  fighting  book  of  the 
New  Testament.  In  its  brief  twenty-two  chap- 
ters the  words  "to  war"  and  "to  make  war'^ 
are  used  fifteen  times.  The  words  are  found  in 
the  rest  of  the  New  Testament  but  fourteen 
times.  Concretely  put,  two  hundred  and 
thirty-eight  New  Testament  chapters  use  the 
words  fourteen  times,  while  the  twenty-two 
chapters  of  the  Apocalypse  employ  them  fifteen 
times.  This  certainly  indicates  a  purpose 
deeper  than  the  mere  incidents  of  literary  ex- 
pression. None  of  these  words  appear  in  the 
Gospel  or  the  Epistles  of  John.  There  must 
have  been  some  significant  underlying  reason 


THE   CONFLICT  IIT 

for  such  a  remarkable  difference  between  the 
authors  of  the  other  New  Testament  books  and 
the  Apocalypse  in  this  respect.  There  must 
also  be  a  vital  reason  behind  the  difference  in 
use  in  John's  other  writings  and  the  Apoca- 
lypse. Other  basic  words  in  the  vocabulary  of 
conflict  of  that  day  also  appear  in  it.  The  two 
New  Testament  words  for  "sword"  appear  in 
the  Apocalypse.  Luke  is  the  only  other  writer 
to  employ  both  of  them.  Omitting  duplica- 
tions, the  words  for  "sword''  appear  twenty 
times  in  the  rest  of  the  New  Testament  and 
eleven  times  in  the  Apocalypse.  Two  words  for 
"chariot"  are  used  in  the  New  Testament  and 
both  appear  in  the  Apocalypse.  "Chief  Cap- 
tains" are  mentioned  twice  in  the  Apocalypse. 
The  fighting  Parthians  tied  up  the  tails  of  their 
war  horses  in  compact,  pointed  fashion  until 
they  looked  like  serpents.  Two  hundred  mil- 
lion war  horses  with  tails  like  serpents  charge 
across  the  stage  of  this  drama.  The  shape  of 
the  locusts  was  said  to  be  "like  horses  prepared 
for  war."  The  sound  of  their  wings  was  like 
the  sound  of  many  horses  and  chariots  rushing 
to  war. 

Har-Magedon 

One  of  the  most  noted  battlefields  of  the 
world  is  introduced  in  the  pages  of  this  pag- 


118      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

eant.  It  is  "Har-Magedon/^  The  little  plain 
of  Esdraelon  was  scarcely  larger  than  three 
Iowa  townships.  As  Belgium  has  been  the 
"cock-pit"  of  Europe,  so  the  plain  known  as 
"Har-Magedon"  was  the  battle  ground  of  the 
Orient.  Here  Sisera  was  overthrown,  the 
"children  of  the  east"  defeated  by  Gideon,  and 
Saul  and  Jonathan  were  defeated  and  slain. 
Here  Elijah  had  his  encounter  with  the  priests 
of  Baal  and  here  Josiah  was  mortally  wounded. 
Across  this  plain  Jehu  rode  to  the  destruction 
of  Ahab's  house.  Across  it  Ahaziah  fled  to  die 
near  Megiddo.  Hither  came  the  armies  of 
Holofernes,  of  Thothmes  III,  of  Kameses  II, 
and  Napoleon  I.  This  blood-soaked  plain — 
the  one  place  in  Palestine  large  enough  for  a 
great  battle — would  be  entirely  too  small  for 
a  world  battle  of  marching  men  of  flesh  and 
blood,  but  its  history  could  easily  suggest  the 
name  of  "Har-Magedon"  as  the  place  for  the 
dramatic  battlefield  of  the  ages  which  is  a  con- 
spicuous feature  of  the  Apocalypse. 

The  Old  Story  of  Evil 

There  were  a  serpent,  a  woman  and  her  seed 
at  Eden's  gates.  There  is  a  serpent  coiled  in 
the  heart  of  the  Apocalypse  and  poised  ready 
to  strike  a  woman  and  her  seed.  In  the  Gene- 
sis story  Satan  sought  to  win  by  craft  and 


THE  CONFLICT  119 

guile.  When  the  curtain  of  this  superb  drama 
is  raised  the  first  sight  to  greet  the  eyes  is  Saint 
John,  the  human  amanuensis  and  reporter,  and 
Christ,  the  Divine  Author,  with  the  seven 
churches  of  Asia  in  the  background.  The 
drama  begins  with  John  taking  dictation  from 
Christ  for  a  message  to  each  of  the  seven 
churches.  Except  in  the  case  of  Antipas, 
Satan  is  depicted  as  working  by  craft  and 
guile  as  in  Genesis.  He  is  mentioned  six  times 
in  the  seven  messages. 

Preparation  for  Conflict 

Beginning  with  the  fourth  chapter  the  suc- 
ceeding eight  chapters  in  the  first  half  of  the 
book  are  devoted  to  a  display  of  power  on  the 
side  of  right  in  preparation  for  the  conflict. 
The  scene  opens  with  the  announcement  by  a 
herald  voice  that  things  which  must  come  to 
pass  will  be  presented.  The  forces,  personal 
and  impersonal,  appearing  in  this  section  are 
God,  twenty-four  Elders,  four  Living  Crea- 
tures, seal-bearing  angel,  Christ,  every  created 
thing,  riders  of  white,  black,  red,  and  pale 
horses,  ushering  in  conquest,  war,  fam- 
ine, and  death,  a  mighty  angel,  four  an- 
gels of  the  winds,  empowered  witnesses, 
riders  of  a  huge  army  of  galloping  horses, 
ofBcer-angels   in    charge   of    the    expedition. 


120       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

Holy  Spirit,  Angel  of  the  Altar,  seven 
trumpeter  angels,  millions  of  angels,  earth- 
quake, a  darkened  sun,  a  bloody  moon,  falling 
stars,  thunders,  lightnings,  mysterious  voices, 
hail  and  fire  mingled  with  blood,  fire  and  brim- 
stone, a  burning  mountain,  blazing  comets, 
swarms  of  locusts,  bloody  seas,  fountains,  and 
rivers.  All  this  marvelous  display  of  power, 
arrayed  on  the  side  of  right,  must  have  made  a 
profound  impression  just  on  the  eve  of  the 
real  conflict  which  begins  in  chapter  twelva 
The  dramatic  value  is  greatly  enhanced  by  the 
fact  that  during  all  this  marshaling  of  power 
display  not  a  force  of  evil  peeps  or  mutters. 
Nine  out  of  thirteen  choruses  in  the  book  ap- 
pear in  these  eight  chapters.  Every  one  of 
them,  in  essence  and  spirit,  has  power  for  con- 
flict as  its  major  theme.  The  last  one,  appear- 
ing at  the  close  of  chapter  eleven,  is  a  burst  of 
praise  to  the  "Almighty' '  because  he  is  ready 
to  reward  the  suffering  saints  and  to  "destroy 
them  that  destroy  the  earth.'' 

The  Real  Conflict 

The  real  conflict  begins  with  chapter  twelve. 
Prior  to  this  time,  with  the  exception  of  the 
slaying  of  Antipas,  whose  slaughter  fore- 
shadowed the  real  conflict,  Satan  had  carried 
out  his  program  by  subtlety  and  craft.     The 


THE   CONFLICT  121 

plan  did  not  achieve  satisfactory  results  be- 
cause  Christianity  prospered  in  spite  of  it. 
This  chapter  marks  the  beginning  of  a  new  pro- 
gram. Satan  now  seeks  to  accomplish  by  brute 
force  that  which  he  had  failed  to  do  by  subtlety 
and  craft.  The  first  six  verses  of  this  chap- 
ter present  an  incident  which  epitomizes  the 
whole  new  order.  Eleven  of  the  fifteen  times 
words  signifying  "to  war"  are  used  in  the 
book  occur  in  the  last  eleven  chapters.  Three 
out  of  the  four  times  the  word  for  "army" 
is  used  in  the  book  occur  in  the  latter  half. 
In  dramatic  movement  the  hour  for  craft  and 
guile  is  gone  and  the  day  of  dallying  and  tem- 
porizing is  over.  The  hour  has  struck  for  the 
final  conflict.  The  main  factors  on  the  side  of 
right  have  been  presented.  Whatever  power 
evil  may  have  must  appear  in  the  progress  of 
the  drama. 

The  Opening  Scene 

The  opening  scene  is  laid  in  heaven.  When 
the  curtain  rises  in  this  scene  a  remarkable 
pageant  greets  the  eye.  Satan,  a  woman  and 
her  seed,  as  in  Eden,  stand  facing  each  other. 
Satan  wears  the  garb  of  the  great  red  dragon, 
with  seven  diademed  heads  and  ten  horns.  His 
tail  is  so  huge  that  it  sweeps  the  stars  out  of 
the  sky  and  they  fall  to  the  earth.    The  preg- 


122      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

nant  woman  facing  him  wears  a  tiara  of  twelve 
stars.  She  is  garmented  with  the  sun  and 
stands  upon  the  moon.  Satan  stands  ready  to 
devour  the  child  when  it  is  born.  The  child 
escapes  him  and  is  caught  up  to  the  throne  of 
God  for  safety.  The  mother  fled  to  her  pre- 
pared place  in  the  earth. 

The  Conflict  in  Heaven 

The  next  phase  of  the  conflict  presents  Mi- 
chael, the  angel  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  Ac- 
cording to  tradition,  he  delivered  Abraham 
from  the  fiery  oven  of  Nimrod,  and  the  Hebrew 
children  from  the  fiery  furnace.  He  was  the 
angel  of  the  burning  bush  who  had  saved  Lot 
at  Sodom  and  had  prepared  Moses'  bier.^  Le- 
gions of  angels  are  associated  with  him.  Op- 
posed to  him  stands  Satan.  Now  that  the 
mask  of  the  red  dragon  is  off,  he  is  revealed  in 
his  true  nature  and  called  the  "great  dragon," 
the  "old  serpent,"  the  "Devil  and  Satan."  Ac- 
cording to  Jewish  legend,  he  had  descended 
to  the  earth  with  a  company  of  his  angels  and 
had  selected  the  serpent  as  the  fit  instrument 
of  his  foul  purpose  to  blight  the  race.  He  was 
the  "accuser"  of  Abraham,  of  Job  and  the 
brethren.  He  had  shown  Nimrod  how  to  cast 
Abraham  into  the  fiery   oven  and  had  tri- 

»  Life  and  Time*  of  Jeatu  the  Meeaiah,  Edersheim,  vol.  II,  p.  751. 


THE  CONFLICT  123 

umphed  over  Michael  concerning  the  death  of 
Moses.  These  two  leaders,  and  their  angel- 
armies  face  each  other  for  the  conflict  upon  the 
plains  of  heaven.  Michael  and  his  hosts  as- 
sume the  offensive.  Satan  and  his  army  are 
defeated  and  "he  was  cast  down  to  the  earth, 
and  his  angels  were  cast  down  with  him." 
From  this  point  onward  there  are  one  mono- 
logue and  four  choruses  and  all  have  the  ma- 
jor chord  of  triumph  after  conflict  in  them. 

The  monologue  leads  the  song  of  triumph 
over  the  "accuser"  of  the  brethren  because  he 
had  been  cast  down. 

The  Conflict  in  Earth 

The  woman,  escaping  from  the  infuriated 
dragon,  had  fled  to  the  earth.  When  the 
dragon  was  cast  down  to  the  earth  he  renewed 
his  attack  upon  the  woman.  She  escaped  on 
the  wings  of  an  eagle,  and  later  makes  the  es- 
cape final  by  the  aid  of  the  earth.  Failing  in 
pursuit  of  the  woman,  he  "went  away  to  make 
war  with  the  rest  of  her  seed."  This  "war"  was 
the  terrible  persecution  then  upon  the  world. 
You  hear  no  sound  of  the  rhythmic  tread 
of  marching  men  for  which  the  Romans  were 
world-famous.  You  catch  no  sight  of  bronze 
eagles  or  glinting  spears.  There  is  no  whir  of 
swinging  battle-ax  and  no  charging  columns  of 


124       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

fiery  horsemen,  with  spears  aloft,  galloping  to 
the  charge.  You  see  no  spoils  of  real  war  in 
the  hand  of  the  Roman  soldier  as  he  returns 
from  the  battle  front.  But  a  grim  foreboding 
and  a  nameless  terror  clutched  the  throat  of 
the  Christians  in  city,  plain,  and  mountain  re- 
treat. It  was  not  war.  It  was  slaughter.  It 
was  planned  by  Satan  and  executed  by  the 
"beast." 

Satan  and  the  Conflict 

Earlier  in  the  drama  Satan  worked  by  craft 
and  guile,  and  the  work  was  his  alone.  He  was 
alone  in  his  attack  upon  the  woman  in  heaven 
and  in  earth.  His  army  of  angels  was  asso- 
ciated with  him  in  the  battle  with  the  hosts  of 
Michael.  As  this  new  program  of  brute  force 
begins  in  the  earth,  he  begins  to  work  through 
other  agencies.  The  first  event  in  this  new 
order  is  the  appearance  of  the  "beast"  rising 
from  the  sea.^  He  came  in  the  similitude  of 
Satan's  guise,  with  this  difference — that  Satan 
wore  his  diadems  on  his  head  while  the  beast 
wore  his  upon  his  horns.  The  horn  was  the 
undoubted  sign  of  power  and  was  so  under- 
stood by  Christians  and  Romans.  It  w^as 
crowned  as  such.     All  the  civil  forces  of  the 


^International  Critical  Commentary ,  "The  Revelation,"  vol.  I,  Charlea, 
p.  345. 


THE  CONFLICT  125 

empire  were  concentrated  in  the  beast.  All 
the  mighty  enginery  of  the  haughty  empire 
was  to  be  used  to  destroy  Christianity.  So 
great  was  this  power  arrayed  against  Chris- 
tianity and  so  confident  were  the  adherents  of 
the  ''beast"  that  they  flung  out  the  challenge, 
"Who  is  like  unto  the  beast,  and  who  is  able  to 
war  against  him?"  The  conflict  seemed  so 
fierce  and  unrelenting  and  the  results  so  cer- 
tain that  the  age-long  cry  of  fatalism  mounted 
the  lips  and  passed  from  man  to  man,  "If  any 
man  is  for  captivity,  into  captivity  he  goeth." 
To  make  the  issue  seem  doubly  certain  from 
the  worldly  standpoint  another  "beast"  came 
upon  the  scene.  He  was  the  coworker  of  the 
"first  beast."  "He  had  two  horns  like  unto 
a  lamb,  and  he  spake  as  a  dragon."  All  the 
authority  of  the  state  was  conferred  upon  him. 
He  compelled  "beast"  worship.  He  decreed 
that  all  nonconformists  should  be  put  to  death. 
Every  Christian  understood  who  this  "beast" 
was.  They  knew  full  well  that  he  represented 
the  priesthood  of  Emperor  Worship.^  They 
fully  understood  that  the  "first  beast"  was  the 
imperial  government  and  they  possessed  no 
delusion  whatever  about  the  "number  of  a 
man"*  who  had  the  final  word.    They  knew  he 

*  International  Critical  Commentary,  "The  Revelation,"  vol.  I,  Charles, 
p.  357. 

*  Clarke's  Commentary,  vol.  VI,  p.  1026. 


126      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

was  the  emperor  and  as  the  emperor  repre- 
sented the  Latin  kingdom.^ 

The  Dark  Hour  in  the  Conflict 

In  dramatic  development  that  was  a  dark 
hour  for  Christianity.  All  the  forces  of  the 
civil  and  religious  elements  of  the  empire  had 
been  welded  by  hate  and  jealousy  and  were 
ready  to  be  hurled  at  the  inoffensive  Chris- 
tians. Just  at  the  critical  moment  when  the 
power  of  the  two  beasts  had  reached  its  maxi- 
mum, the  scene  shifted  with  kaleidoscopic 
swiftness.  With  true  dramatic  instinct  the 
darkest  hour  came  just  before  dawn.  The  first 
streak  of  golden  dawn  flashed  upon  the  stage 
of  the  drama  when  the  Lamb  was  revealed 
standing  on  Mount  Zion  with  one  hundred 
forty-four  thousand,  having  the  Divine  Name 
written  upon  their  forehead.  One  is  strik- 
ingly reminded  of  Elijah's  plaintive  cry,  ^^I, 
even  I  only  am  left,"  and  of  God's  reminder  of 
the  "seven  thousand  in  Israel,  all  the  knees 
which  have  not  bowed  unto  Baal,  and  every 
mouth  which  hath  not  kissed  him."  The  real 
kingdom  is  always  stronger  than  it  seems.  In 
spite  of  the  "beasts"  with  all  their  power, 
spurred  on  by  a  frenzied  jealousy,  inspired  by 
Satan,  the  Lamb  is  still  on  Mount  Zion !    God 

>  Apocalypae  of  John,  Swete,  p.  176. 


THE  CONFLICT  127 

was  still  in  his  heaven !  The  morning  is  com- 
ing. Additional  arrows  of  golden  light,  shot 
from  the  bow  of  the  coming  morn  appear  in 
the  eastern  sky,  when  the  angel  flies  across 
mid-heaven  bearing  "eternal  good  tidings"  for 
"every  nation  and  tribe  and  tongue  and  peo- 
ple." The  band  of  light  expands  along  the  ho- 
rizon as  the  angel  announces  the  arrival  of  the 
hour  of  Divine  Judgment  and  exhorts  men  to 
worship  "Him  that  made  the  heaven,  the  earth 
and  the  sea'^ — the  very  places  whence  the 
"beasts"  had  come!  The  light  rises  still 
higher  in  the  sky  when  a  second  angel  an- 
nounces, "Fallen,  Fallen  is  Babylon  the 
Great,"  and  a  third  angelic  messenger  declares 
that  all  who  bear  the  "mark  of  the  beast"  or 
worship  his  image  shall  "drink  of  the  wine  of 
the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  prepared  unmixed 
in  the  cup  of  his  anger."  During  this  lull  in 
the  conflict  in  which  both  sides  are  strengthen- 
ing their  lines  and  preparing  for  the  resump- 
tion of  the  struggle  important  dramatic  ele- 
ments appear  upon  the  stage.  In  rapid  succes- 
sion there  is  a  Voice  from  heaven  saying, 
"Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord." 
Reaper  angels  gather  the  vintage  of  the  earth 
to  be  cast  into  the  wine  press  of  the  wrath  of 
God.  Seven  angels  bearing  the  ^Qast  plagues" 
appear.     Victorious  hosts,  as  the  harbingers 


128       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

of  Victory,  assemble  upon  the  sea  of  glass  min- 
gied  with  fire  and  sing  the  Victory  song  of  the 
^'Lord  God  Almighty."  The  seven  angels  empty 
their  bowls  of  plague  upon  the  earth,  the  sea, 
the  air,  and  the  sun,  and  dreadful  consequences 
follow.  Lasciviousness,  personified  by  a 
woman,  garbed  in  purple  and  scarlet,  decked 
with  gold  and  pearls,  "drunken  with  the  blood 
of  the  saints,"  rides  a  scarlet  "beast"  across 
the  stage.  Explanations  follow  which  end  in 
identifying  the  woman  as  Rome.  God^s  angel 
of  authority  descends  from  heaven  and  the 
whole  earth  is  lighted  with  his  glory  as  he  an- 
nounces with  a  mighty  voice,  "Fallen,  Fallen 
is  Babylon  the  Great."  The  dramatic  story  of 
the  city's  fall  is  narrated  in  chapter  eighteen, 
with  rich  Oriental  setting  and  imagery. 

As  Satan's  fall  from  heaven  was  followed  by 
a  paean  of  jubilation  over  his  defeat,  so  when 
the  unholy  city,  with  its  pride  and  glory,  has 
fallen  the  multitudes  of  heaven  break  forth 
with  unconcealed  and  unrestrained  joy :  "Sal- 
vation, and  glory,  and  power,  belong  to  our 
God." 

The  Premonition  of  Renewed  Conflict 

As  the  dragon  had  come  out  of  heaven,  the 
first  "beast"  out  of  the  sea,  and  the  second  out 
of  the  earth,  so  a  message-bearing  unclean 


THE  CONFLICT  129 

spirit  like  a  frog  emerges  from  the  mouth  of 
the  dragon,  and  one  from  the  mouth  of  each 
of  the  beasts,  and  hurries  away  to  the  kings  of 
the  "whole  world,"  to  enlist  them  in  the  "war 
of  the  great  day  of  God,  the  Almighty."  These 
hosts  gather  at  Har-Magedon. 

In  order  to  give  added  emphasis  to  events 
about  to  be  introduced  a  door  "opened  in 
heaven"  at  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  chap- 
ter. The  "temple  of  God  in  heaven"  opened, 
introducing  the  scene  of  conflict  between  the 
dragon  and  the  woman.  In  like  manner 
"heaven  opened"  to  reveal  the  Rider  of  the 
White  Horse  and  his  white-robed  warriors.  He 
was  so  described  as  to  awaken  the  utmost  con- 
fidence in  victory  after  conflict.  He  was  called 
"Faithful  and  True."  He  was  both  judge  and 
warrior.  His  eyes  were  like  a  flame  of 
fire.  His  head  was  crowned  with  "many" 
diadems,  while  that  of  the  "beast"  against 
whom  he  goes  to  battle  wears  but  ten.  He 
was  arrayed  in  a  blood-sprinkled  garment  and 
called  the  Word  of  God.  A  sharp  sword  pro- 
ceeded from  his  mouth.  His  garment  and 
thigh  bore  the  legend,  "King  of  Kings,  and 
Lord  of  Lords," 

Forecasting  certain  slaughter  and  increasing 
sustained  interest  in  the  resumption  of  the  con- 
flict, an  angel  invited  "all  the  birds  that  fly 


130      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

in  mid  heaven"  to  the  ^^supper  of  God"  to  eat 
the  flesh  of  kings,  captains,  mighty  men, 
horses,  riders,  and  footmen.  This  peculiar  fea- 
ture, taken  from  Ezekiel,^  is  not  associated 
with  the  hosts  of  Gog  and  Magog  as  in  the 
book  from  which  the  idea  is  taken,  but  with  the 
battle  of  Har-MagedonJ  The  armies  of  the 
kings  of  the  "whole  world"  had  already  assem- 
bled at  Har-Magedon.^  They  had  gathered  to 
make  "war  against  him  that  sat  upon  the 
horse."  The  armies  of  heaven  which  had  rid- 
den across  the  heavenly  review  ground  upon 
their  white  horses,  led  by  their  Invincible 
Leader,  assumed  the  offensive  and  attacked 
the  enemy  upon  the  world  battlefield  of  Har- 
Magedon.  The  armies  of  the  assembled  kings 
were  routed  and  slain  by  the  "sword  of  him 
that  sat  upon  the  horse."  The  "beast  and  false 
prophet"  were  captured  and  cast  alive  into 
the  lake  of  fire. 

The  Hiatus  in  Conflict 

There  is  another  cessation  of  conflict  at  this 
point.  It  is  said  to  be  a  thousand  years  long, 
but  it  must  be  remembered  that  a  thousand 
years  measured  by  dramatic  units  is  vastly  dif- 


•  Ezek.  39.  17,  18. 
» Rev.  19.  17,  18. 
«  Rev.  16.  16. 


THE  CONFLICT  131 

f erent  from  a  thousand  years  of  real  time  units. 
This  period  opens  with  one  of  the  most  dra- 
matic episodes  in  the  entire  book.  An  angel 
comes  down  out  of  heaven,  bearing  the  key  to 
the  abyss  and  a  great  chain  in  his  hand.  He 
seizes  the  dragon,  the  old  serpent,  which  is 
the  Devil  and  Satan,  binds  and  casts  him  into 
the  abyss  and  seals  it  over  him  "until  the  thou- 
sand years  should  be  finished."  After  his  thou- 
sand years  of  confinement  Satan  is  released 
for  a  "little  time.''  During  this  "little  time'' 
he  collects  an  army  to  replace  the  one  which 
he  had  lost  in  the  previous  battle.  He  is  in 
personal  command,  as  his  lieutenants  had  been 
cast  into  the  lake  of  fire. 

Gog  and  Magog 

In  preparation  for  the  impending  battle 
with  the  unconquered  hosts  of  Christ,  Satan 
was  compelled  to  gather  a  new  army  from  the 
"four  corners  of  the  earth."  He  found  the 
traditional  army  of  Gog  and  Magog  which  had 
been  so  long  lost  to  the  Bible  reader.  They 
were  first  mentioned  in  the  thirty-eighth  chap- 
ter of  Ezekiel.  Gog  was  the  name  of  the  peo- 
ple and  Magog  the  name  of  the  land.  Ezekiel 
had  described  them  as  coming  "out  of  the  ut- 
termost parts  of  the  north"  and  "all  of  them 
riding  upon  horses,  a  great  company  and  a 


132      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

mighty  army."^  God  announced  that  he  would 
send  ^^hailstones,  fire,  and  brimstone''  upon 
them  and  "fire  on  Magog."^^  The  slaughter 
would  be  so  great  that  Israel  would  be  com- 
pelled to  burn  the  weapons,  and  seven  months 
would  be  required  to  bury  the  remnants  of  the 
slain.  Bird  and  beast  were  invited  to  eat  of 
the  slain  at  the  table  of  God." 

The  Final  Issue  of  the  Conflict 

As  the  description  of  the  desolation  of  the 
seaport  of  Tyre,  with  its  shipping  and  its  sea- 
going peoples  and  maritime  setting  had  been 
carried  over  into  the  Apocalypse  and  applied 
to  Rome,  alias  "Babylon,"  without  regard  to 
the  fact  that  Rome  was  an  inland  city,  so  these 
traditional  peoples,  who  were  probably  the 
children  of  an  inspired  prophet's  creative  gen- 
ius, "Gog  and  Magog,"  whose  final  destruc- 
tion by  fire  at  the  hand  of  God  had  been 
prophesied  by  Ezekiel,  were  also  carried  over 
into  the  Apocalypse  as  the  army  summoned  by 
Satan  in  his  last  desperate  effort  to  defeat  the 
cause  of  Christ.^^  Satan  is  represented  as  hav- 
ing searched  the  "four  comers"  of  the  earth 
for  this  army,  which  in  numbers  was  as  the 

•  E«ek-  38.  15-17. 
uEiek.  38.  22;  39.  6. 
»E»ek.  39.  9,  12,  17-20. 
"Eaek.  39.  4-6,  17-20. 


THE  CONFLICT  133 

"sand  of  the  sea."  There  is  nothing  to  indicate 
what  army  finally  meets  them  in  battle,  but 
the  presumption  is  much  in  favor  of  the  army 
from  heaven  which  rode  upon  white  horses  un- 
der the  command  of  the  ^*Word  of  God''  in  the 
battle  of  Har-Magedon.  The  battle  site  is 
probably  near  the  walls  of  the  City  of  Kedemp- 
tion.^^  The  army  of  Satan  undertook  to  en- 
circle the  "camp  of  the  saints,"  and  made  a 
wide  detour  to  accomplish  its  purpose  when 
"fire  came  down  out  of  heaven  and  devoured 
them."  It  will  be  recalled  that  when  Satan 
began  his  program  of  destroying  Christianity, 
as  narrated  in  the  latter  half  of  the  drama,  he 
first  sought  to  "devour"  the  newly-born  child. 
When  the  hour  of  final  defeat  of  his  earthly 
helpers  comes  they  meet  the  fate  he  sought  to 
mete  out  to  others,  when  they  are  "devoured" 
by  fire.^* 

As  in  the  battle  of  Har-Magedon  when  the 
armies  were  destroyed,  the  leaders  captured 
and  flung  into  the  lake  of  fire,  so  in  this  battle 
the  armies  of  Gog  and  Magog  were  devoured 
and  the  Satanic  commander  of  this  last  for- 
lorn effort  to  wrest  the  Kingdom  from  the  Re- 
deeming Christ  was  also  cast  into  the  lake  of 
fire  and  brimstone. 


"  Rev.  20.  9. 

"  Rev.  12.  4;  20.  9. 


134      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

The  conflict  which  is  evident  in  the  first 
chapter  of  the  book,  and  is  directly  represented 
by  display  of  power  or  note  of  triumph  in  con- 
flict in  the  nineteen  succeeding  chapters,  amply 
justifies  the  writer's  estimate  that  the  Apoca- 
lypse is  the  fighting  book  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 


"In  the  world  ye  have  tribulation:  but  be 
of  good  cheer;  I  have  overcome  the  world.'' — 
John  16.  33. 


CHAPTER  V 
THE  VICTORY^ 

Victory  High  Lights 

Two  of  the  most  brilliant  spots  in  world  his- 
tory are  Eden  and  Calvary.  The  three  bright- 
est spots  in  Bible  history  are  Eden,  Calvary, 
and  Patmos.  In  Eden  we  glimpse  man  in  his 
pristine  glory,  with  such  capacity  for  God  and 
godlikeness  as  is  well-nigh  overwhelming. 
The  annals  of  time  yield  nothing  more  splendid 
than  this  portrait  of  man,  with  capacity  for 
sin,  but  unsinning.  Beside  it  is  the  blackest 
night  the  eyes  of  Father  Time  has  seen.  It 
followed  the  day  the  unsinning  man  sinned. 
Calvary  made  possible  the  restoration  of  that 
which  was  lost  at  Eden's  gates.  Patmos 
searched  all  the  wide  ranges  of  power  in  the 
world  and  marshaled  them  in  serried  ranks 
to  assure  man  of  ultimate  victory  in  the  final 
struggle  to  secure  for  all  men  of  all  ages  that 
which  Calvary  made  possible,  but  which  was 
then  dangerously  imperiled. 

*  The  author  makes  no  attempt  to  construe  other  portions  of  the  Bible 
than  the  Apocalypse.  They  are  used  simply  as  sources  without  regard  to 
literal  or  figurative  quality. 

137 


138      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

The  Defeat  of  Humanity 

The  glorious  beginning  of  the  world  race, 
created  in  the  image  of  God  and  nnsinning, 
is  the  most  conspicuous  figure  which  limns  tbe 
horizon  of  those  distant  days.  What  a  world 
it  would  have  been  if  the  race  had  remained 
pure!  What  constellations  of  transcendent 
splendor  would  have  illumined  all  the  sky  of 
human  history  if  this  high-born  race  had  lived 
as  it  had  been  created !  No  blacker  midnight 
sky  was  ever  painted  by  the  hand  of  fate  than 
that  which  palled  the  night  following  the  day 
of  man's  sin.  The  heart  of  the  Infinite  was 
broken  when  wings  designed  for  flight  in  sun- 
lit skies  flapped  in  filth.  The  face  of  the  Deity 
was  stained  with  tears  when  voices  planned 
to  unison  with  angelic  choirs  snapped  and 
snarled  with  beastly  confreres.  The  very  soul 
of  the  Eternal  One  was  cleft  with  bitter  grief 
when  the  man,  who  was  created  to  stand  up- 
right and  commune  with  God,  fell  upon  his 
face  in  the  dust  and  crawled  with  the  slimy 
serpent  over  his  sinuous  trail.  Whence  and 
when  and  how  evil  came  matters  but  little; 
that  it  came  and  that  a  race  was  polluted  be- 
yond its  own  power  to  be  clean  again  is  every- 
thing. Think  of  God  as  we  may,  as  of  "purer 
eyes  than  to  behold  evil,"  if  we  will,  yet  God — 


THE  VICTORY  139 

the  God  of  the  sobbing  heart — himself  could 
have  beheld  no  scene  more  disheartening  than 
when  he  "saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was 
great  in  the  earth,  and  that  every  imagination 
of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  con- 
tinually."^ When  God  saw  that  picture,  in  its 
awful  reality,  he  turned  his  face  away 
from  the  man  who  had  been  created  to  wear  his 
image  and  sorrowed  that  he  had  made  the  race. 

Human  Helplessness 

Though  many  events  of  world  importance 
happened  between  the  day  of  man's  sin  and  the 
day  of  the  Son  of  God  on  Golgotha,  there  was 
nothing  which  could  make  possible  man's  com- 
plete recovery  of  that  which  had  been  lost  by 
sin.  There  was  a  great  system  of  moral  law 
with  correlated  rite  and  ceremony,  but  it  was 
not  possible  that  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats 
could  restore  the  irreparable  loss  sustained  by 
sin.^  No  rite  or  ceremony  alone  could  "save 
to  the  uttermost."  Nothing  but  the  blood  of 
Christ  could  do  that.  One  important  New  Tes- 
tament book  is  devoted  to  showing  how  the 
whole  program  of  legalism  and  ritualism  ut- 
terly failed  and  that  only  "Jesus  the  mediator 
of  the  new  covenant"  could  save  the  race. 


«  Gen.  6.  5. 
•  Heb.  10.  4, 


140      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

Nothing  short  of  the  "blood  of  an  eternal  cov- 
enant, even  our  Lord  Jesus"  could  make  men 
"perfect  in  every  good  thing."*  Thus  the  race 
was  helpless  without  Christianity  and  its  re- 
demptive provisions.  But  the  deluge  of  blood 
of  the  martyrs  threatened  dire  disaster  to  the 
only  hope  of  a  saved  race.  One  thing  alone 
could  meet  the  full  need  of  that  terrible  hour. 
That  was  a  vision  of  victory. 

The  Vision  of  Victory 

The  hearts  of  men  would  have  failed  had  they 
not  caught  sight  of  the  horsemen  and  chariots 
of  God.  The  Apocalypse  is  the  divine  agency 
for  giving  the  needy-souled  generation  of  that 
day  such  a  vision  of  victory  that  they  could 
survive  the  fearful  persecutions  to  which  they 
were  subjected.  The  victory  banner  was  un- 
furled early  in  the  drama.  The  three-verse 
prologue  was  announced  by  a  herald.  Brief 
suggestive  salutations  were  made  by  John. 
The  first  harbinger  of  victory  was  the  appear- 
ance of  Christ.  This  was  followed  by  a  descrip- 
tive portrait  of  him  and  concluded  with  Christ 
laying  his  hand  upon  the  beloved  disciple. 

The  Opening  Scene 

The  scene  opened  with  Christ  dictating  his 
message  to  the  seven  churches  to  John.    It  was 

«Heb.  13.  20. 


THE  VICTORY  141 

probably  laid  at  night,  when  John  could  do  his 
writing,  after  a  long  arduous  day  of  toil  in 
quarry  or  mine.  The  location  may  be  easily 
conceived  as  John^s  cell  or  lodging  place.  Out- 
side was  the  incessant  pounding  of  the  waves 
against  the  rock-bound  coast,  which  had 
brought  to  John's  mind  again  and  again  the 
saying  of  Ezekiel  about  the  voice  of  God  "like 
the  sound  of  many  waters."^  From  this  re- 
treat John  had  often  heard  the  "voice  of  mighty 
thunderings,"  as  the  thunder  of  some  passing 
storm  echoed  and  reechoed  among  the  rocks 
along  the  shore.  Not  far  away,  from  some 
point  of  vantage,  he  had  seen  the  sun  go  down 
upon  a  smooth  sea,  and  its  reflections  of  red 
and  gold  seemed  like  a  "sea  of  glass  mingled 
with  fire."  On  every  side  stretched  the  wild 
waste  of  imprisoning  waves  which  may  have 
suggested  to  him  the  fabric  of  his  dream  of  the 
day  when  "the  sea  is  no  more."  Less  than 
fifty  miles  away  was  Ephesus,  the  nearest  one 
of  the  seven  cities  and  John's  residence  prior 
to  his  confinement  on  Patmos.  There  had  been 
a  tender  love  between  John  and  the  Master  in 
the  days  of  the  Saviour's  fleshly  sojourn.  Had 
not  John  "leaned  back  on  his  breast  at  the  sup- 
per"?^   Had  not  the  dying  Christ  commended 

•Esek.  43.2. 
•John  21.  20. 


142      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

John  to  his  mother  as  a  son  and  the  mother  to 
John  as  his  mother?  Had  not  John  taken  the 
foster  mother  to  his  own  home?^  Was  it  not 
perfectly  natural  for  Jesus  to  begin  his  dic- 
tation of  letters  with  Ephesus?  In  this  first 
letter  he  tells  them,  "To  him  that  overcometh, 
to  him  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life, 
which  is  in  the  paradise  of  God." 

Hope  of  Return 

From  the  days  of  Moses  the  "Tree  of  Life" 
had  been  conspicuous  in  the  book  of  Genesis. 
It  was  said  that  when  God  drove  sinning  man 
from  the  garden  of  Eden  he  placed  there  on 
guard  a  "cherubim,  and  the  flame  of  a  sword 
which  turned  every  way,  to  keep  the  way  of 
the  tree  of  life."^  This  story  is  probably  older 
than  Moses  and  likely  one  of  the  oldest  her- 
itages of  the  Hebrew  race.  Except  in  the  book 
of  Proverbs  little  reference  is  made  to  it  for 
hundreds  of  years.  Through  all  these  years  the 
hope  had  been  ardently  cherished  of  a  day 
when  the  way  would  be  opened  for  the  return 
of  man  to  the  tree  of  life  whence  he  had  been 
so  long  banished.  Separation  from  that  sword- 
guarded  tree  was  a  part  of  the  penalty  of  sin. 
Christianity  provided  the  one  remedy  for  sin. 

7  John  19.  26,  27. 
•Gen.  3.24. 


THE  VICTORY  143 

With  this  provision  in  sight  but  seriously  im- 
periled, Christ  directed  John  to  close  the  first 
letter  to  the  seven  churches  with  the  promise 
that  the  Victor  should  eat  of  the  "Tree  of 
Life."  Similar  promises  were  made  to  each 
of  the  seven  churches.  The  "tree  of  life/'  the 
"crown  of  life,"  the  "book  of  life,"  were  prom- 
ised to  three  of  them.  The  "New  Name"  was 
promised  to  two  of  them.  "White  garments" 
and  a  throne  shared  by  Christ  were  promised 
to  others.    Each  promise  presaged  victory. 

The  Victory  Book 

The  word  for  "victory"  occurs  in  this  short 
book  of  twenty-two  chapters  seventeen  times. 
It  appears  in  the  remaining  two  hundred  and 
thirty-eight  chapters  of  the  New  Testament 
but  eleven  times.  Seven  of  these  eleven  times 
it  is  used  by  John  in  writings  other  than  the 
Apocalypse.  There  must  have  been  an  im- 
portant motive  behind  so  conspicuous  use  of 
the  word.  That  purpose  was  to  encourage  men 
to  hold  steadfast  for  victory.  The  word  is 
employed  in  connection  with  the  forces  of  right 
fifteen  times  in  the  Apocalypse.  Twice  the 
forces  of  evil  had  power  to  overcome,  but  it 
was  only  temporary.  Beast  and  false  prophet 
had  power  to  overcome  the  saints;  but  it  is 
only  a  step  away  in  the  march  of  the  drama 


144      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

until  the  chorus  sings  the  victor's  song  upon 
the  sea  of  glass  and  only  a  brief  time  measured 
in  dramatic  units  to  Har-Magedon  and  Satan's 
defeat.  The  beast  from  the  abyss  had  power 
to  slay  the  two  witnesses,  but  it  is  only  five 
verses  away  to  the  resurrection  and  ascent  to 
heaven.  The  "beast"  might  slay,  but  there 
was  power  behind  the  scenes  mighty  enough 
to  give  life  to  the  dead  within  three  and  one 
half  days.  The  design  of  victory  for  the  right 
was  woven  into  the  very  fabric  which  Satan 
attempted  to  weave  upon  his  own  loom.  Pen- 
nants of  victory  gleam  everywhere  in  the  book, 
either  in  anticipation  or  realization.  Like 
huge  banners  bearing  emblems  of  victory  and 
hung  from  windows  or  draped  across  the  front 
of  buildings  along  the  street  where  marching 
columns  of  men  go  by  to  embark  for  war,  so 
as  this  drama  hastens  to  its  denouement 
gTOups  or  voices  appear  at  intervals  to  repeat 
a  famous  slogan  or  sing  a  song  which  will 
hearten  the  souls  of  men  and  encourage  them 
with  the  hope  of  ultimate  victory.  There  are 
fifteen  of  these  utterances,  thirteen  of  which 
are  spoken  by  more  than  one  actor  and  two  of 
which  are  spoken  by  a  "voice."  Three  of  them 
feature  Christ.  Two  refer  to  him  as  the  Lamb. 
Four  refer  to  God,  three  to  God  and  the  Lamb, 
and  two  to  God  and  Christ.    The  singers  of  the 


THE  VICTORY  145 

"song  without  words"  are  associates  of  the 
Lamb.  These  utterances  begin  with  an  adora- 
tion to  Christ  and  end  with  the  "Hallelujah 
Chorus"  of  praise  for  the  regnancy  of  God.  All 
of  them  are  aflame  with  the  hope  of  victory. 

Ultimate  Victoey 

All  the  qualities  which  would  inspire  belief 
in  ultimate  victory  are  ascribed  to  God  and 
Christ.  These  utterances  contain  five  hun- 
dred and  seventy-two  words.  Thus  one  twen- 
tieth of  the  book  is  devoted  to  these  groups 
seeking  to  inspire  the  hope  of  certain  victory. 
Interspersed  between  these  utterances  is  such 
a  marvelous  display  of  power  that  one  is  con- 
fused and  the  brain  grows  dizzy  attempting 
to  conceive  its  greatness.  Power  is  written 
all  over  these  unique  pages.  It  is  not  power  for 
its  own  sake,  however,  though  it  "works  for 
righteousness,"  but  it  is  here  displayed  that 
men  may  see  behind  all  this  marvelous  mar- 
shaling of  power  the  ultimate  certainty  of  vic- 
tory. 

Victory  Voices 

Of  all  unique  books  of  literature  this  one 
holds  the  preeminence  in  certain  respects.  It 
is  distinctive  among  the  books  of  the  New 
Testament  in  its  use  of  the  word  for  "voice." 


146      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

No  other  book  approaches  it  in  this  respect. 
"Voices"  unconnected  with  personality  abound 
in  these  pages.  Voices  are  employed  more  than 
two  score  times,  in  relation  to  victory,  in  this 
book.  Not  a  devil  in  the  drama  has  a  "voice." 
Speech  is  linked  up  with  the  devil  or  his  agents 
but  five  times.  Once  the  "world"  cried  out, 
"Who  is  like  unto  the  beast  and  who  is  able  to 
war  with  him?"  The  false  prophet  urged  men 
to  make  an  image  of  the  beast  and  worship 
it.  He  also  spoke  blasphemies  against  God. 
In  three  instances  courtiers  and  men  are  said 
to  have  blasphemed  God.  With  these  excep- 
tions Satan  and  his  subordinates  are  dumb. 

On  the  day  of  the  triumphal  entry  the  en- 
thusiastic followers  of  Christ  "took  the 
branches  of  the  palm  trees,  and  went  forth  to 
meet  him,"  crying,  "Hosanna:  Blessed  is  he 
that  Cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  In  the 
Apocalypse  a  great  multitude  "out  of  every 
nation  and  of  all  tribes"  stood  before  the 
throne  and  the  Lamb,  arrayed  in  white  apparel 
and  bearing  palms  as  tokens  of  victory. 

Death  and  Defeat 

The  author's  vocabulary  is  exceedingly  fer- 
tile in  words  for  "death"  and  kindred  expres- 
sions. In  terms  employed,  in  scenes  of  carnage 
and  the  number  of  the  slain  the  book  drips  with 


THE  VICTORY  147 

the  dew  of  death.  It  is  the  New  Testament 
book  of  death.  Death  rides  a  pale  horse  and 
gallops  across  the  stage  with  authority  to  slay 
one  fourth  of  men.  Famine,  seated  upon  a 
black  steed,  follows  war,  riding  his  red  charger 
and  carrying  a  great  sword  while  men  "slay 
one  another.^'  Strange  riders  with  breast 
plates  as  of  hyacinth,  fire,  and  brimstone  ride 
leonine-headed,  serpent-tailed  horses  to  the 
slaughter  of  men.  The  "Mother  of  Harlots"  is 
"drunken  with  the  blood  of  the  saints."  Hu- 
man blood  flows  from  the  winepress  of  the 
wrath  of  God  bridle  deep  to  horse.  Men  die 
like  flies,  after  drinking  star-smitten  waters. 
The  sea  is  turned  to  blood  and  every  living 
creature  in  it  dies.  The  sword,  dripping  with 
blood,  seems  to  have  displaced  the  rainbow  in 
the  sky.  All  the  birds  of  heaven  gorge  upon 
human  flesh.  A  whole  army  is  "killed  with 
the  sword  of  him  that  sat  upon  the  horse." 
The  hosts  of  Gog,  in  number  "as  the  sand  of 
the  sea,"  are  destroyed  by  the  hot  breath  of 
fire  from  heaven.  Seven  thousand  die  by  earth- 
quake. Souls  of  martyrs,  slain  by  the  red  hand 
of  hate,  crowd  under  the  altar  of  God  to  find 
sanctuary.  As  if  one  death  were  not  enough, 
the  maw  of  a  second  one  is  opened  to  swallow 
some  who  have  already  passed  through  the 
gates  of  the  first.     Death  stalks  its  victims 


148      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

everywhere.  Famine,  pestilence,  sword,  wild 
beast,  earthquake,  and  falling  stars  become  its 
agents.  The  head  reels,  the  heart  faints,  and 
the  soul  shudders  at  the  carnival  of  death.  Be- 
holding this  picture  alone,  it  would  seem  as  if 
Death  were  king  of  the  apocalyptic  realm  with 
Madness  for  a  queen.  Though  death  seems 
regnant,  it  is  not  the  book  of  death,  but,  rather, 
a  picture  of  life  painted  upon  the  background 
of  death. 

Life  and  Victoey 

Outside  the  word  for  "Deity'^  no  word  in 
human  speech  signifies  so  much  as  the  one  for 
"life."  Love  has  been  said  to  be  the  "greatest 
thing  in  the  world,"  but  life  is  the  "greatest 
thing  in  the  world"  and  love  is  its  greatest 
manifestation.  Love  is  a  great  word  in  the 
vocabulary  of  John,  but  it  is  not  much  used 
in  the  Apocalypse.  Life  outranks  it  there. 
There  may  be  life  without  love,  but  there  can 
be  no  love  without  life.  John  is  credited  with 
being  the  Apostle  of  Love.  He  is  that,  but  he  is 
more.  He  is  the  Apostle  of  Life.  Matthew 
uses  the  word  for  "life"  and  its  cognates  once 
to  every  fifty-one  verses.  Mark  employs  them 
once  to  every  fifty-six  verses.  Luke  writes  the 
word  for  "life''  and  its  kindred  terms  once  to 
every  thirty-seven  verses.    In  his  Gospel,  John 


THE  VICTORY  149 

uses  the  same  terms  once  to  every  fourteen 
verses.  If  Paul  may  be  credited  with  the  au- 
thorship of  thirteen  New  Testament  books,  he 
uses  the  terms  indicating  life  once  to  every 
eighteen  verses.  The  New  Testament  is  the 
Life  Message  of  the  Bible.  The  words  for 
"life'^  appear  in  it  once  to  every  thirty-two 
verses  exclusive  of  the  works  of  John.  In  his 
writings  these  words  appear  once  to  every 
eleven  verses.  In  the  Apocalypse  alone  they 
appear  once  to  every  seven  verses.  Compared 
with  other  New  Testament  writers  as  a  whole, 
in  the  use  of  terms  for  life,  John  is  the  Apostle 
of  Life  and  the  Apocalypse  is  his  Book  of  Life. 

Christ  and  Life 

Only  seven  verses  of  the  drama  have  been 
presented,  three  by  the  herald  and  four  by 
John,  until  Christ  introduces  himself  as  the 
One  "who  is  and  who  was  and  who  is  to  come.'* 
The  first  chapter  is  not  completed  until  he 
presents  himself  as  the  "Living  one,"  who  "was 
dead,  and  behold,  I  am  alive  forever  more, 
and  I  have  the  keys  of  death.''  Because  he  is 
the  "Living  one"  who  bears  the  keys  of  death 
in  his  scarred  hands,  he  instructs  John  to 
write  the  story  of  the  pageant  which  he  had 
seen.  In  the  first  verse  after  the  prologue 
John  announces  greetings  "from  him  who  is 


150       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

and  who  was  and  who  is  to  come."  This  for- 
mula is  used  four  times  in  the  drama  and  ap- 
pears three  times  with  the  present  tense  put 
first.  Like  the  "I  Am,"  as  God  revealed  him- 
self to  Moses,  Christ  stands  at  the  opening  of 
the  drama  as  the  Living  One  who  IS,  and  who 
was,  and  who  is  to  be.  The  whole  drama  may 
be  conceived  as  the  conquest  of  life  over  death 
and  the  Living  One  walking  across  the  stage 
with  the  tread  of  a  Conqueror,  carrying  the 
keys  of  death  in  the  nail-pierced  hands.  "In 
the  world  ye  have  tribulation :  but  be  of  good 
cheer;  I  have  overcome  the  world,"  was  a  mes- 
sage John  caught  from  the  lips  of  Jesus,  which 
others  seem  to  have  overlooked. 

Christ  the  Overcomer 

It  matters  little  whether  John  wrote  the 
Apocalypse  before  the  Gospel  or  after  it,  the 
same  current  of  thought  runs  through  the  two, 
the  world  presents  the  tribulation  and  Christ 
is  the  OVERCOMER.  The  thought  of  Jesus 
in  the  dark  of  the  night  of  his  approaching 
anguish,  just  before  his  farewell  prayer,  is 
of  the  same  fabric  as  the  opening  portions  of 
the  Apocalypse.  In  both  cases  the  light  is  fo- 
cused on  the  outstanding  figure  of  the  Over- 
coming Christ.  Each  reveals  the  tribulation 
and  the  Overcoming  One. 


THE  VICTORY  151 

The  first  letter  to  the  churches  closes  with 
the  promise  of  access  to  the  tree  of  life  for  vic- 
tors. The  last  letter  ends  with  the  promise 
that  the  victors  shall  sit  upon  the  throne  with 
Christ  as  he  had  overcome  and  sat  down  with 
the  Father  upon  his  throne.  Promises  to  vic- 
tors are  featured  in  the  five  intervening  letters, 
white,  the  victory  emblem,  being  presented  in 
two  cases.  The  fourth  chapter  reveals  the 
rainbow  throne — the  throne  of  hope— and  in- 
troduces the  Living  Creatures  and  Elders.  It 
closes  with  the  Creatures  glorifying  Christ  as 
the  ''Almighty"  and  the  Elders  casting  their 
crowns  before  the  throne  and  adoring  Christ 
as  the  Creator  who  is  worthy  to  receive  glory, 
honor,  and  power. 

Christ's  First  Triumph 

Christ's  first  triumph  comes  when  he  opens 
the  book  of  the  seven  seals  which  none  other 
could  open.  With  this  sealed  book  in  hand 
he  stands  while  the  Living  Creatures  and 
Elders  sing  the  "new  song"  of  his  worthiness 
to  reign.  He  opens  the  seven  seals  one  by  one 
and  as  he  opens  the  first  four  the  Living  Crea- 
tures step  forward,  one  at  a  time,  and  utter 
the  magic  word  "Come."  This  is  instantly 
followed,  in  succession,  by  the  Conqueror  rid- 
ing a  white  horse— the  emblem   of  victory; 


152       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

the  red  horse  and  his  rider,  War;  the  black 
horse  and  his  rider,  Famine ;  and  the  pale  horse 
with  Death  for  a  rider.  At  the  opening  of  the 
fifth  seal,  souls  of  slain  martyrs  appear  and 
are  robed  in  white  as  the  emblem  of  victory. 
When  the  sixth  seal  was  opened  the  whole 
physical  universe  was  disturbed  and  the 
mighty  men  of  earth  pleaded  for  rocks  to  fall 
upon  them  to  hide  them  from  the  glory  of  the 
wrathful  Lamb.  When  the  seventh  seal  was 
opened  a  new  cycle  of  seven  was  started  with 
the  seven  trumpeter  angels.  A  display  of 
power  which  beggars  description  appears  in 
the  succeeding  incidents.  With  the  closing 
episode  of  the  new  cycle  a  heavenly  voice  pro- 
claims, "The  kingdom  of  the  world  is  become 
the  kingdom  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ," 
who  "shall  reign  forever  and  ever."  When  the 
voices  cease,  the  Elders,  seated  upon  their 
thrones  about  the  rainbow  throne  of  hope, 
glorify  God,  the  "Almighty,"  that  the  time  has 
arrived  to  reward  his  servants  and  to  "destroy 
them  that  destroy  the  earth."  There  is  a  real 
line  of  cleavage  in  the  book  at  this  point. 

Christ^s  Trail  of  Triumph 

With  one  exception  the  first  half  of  the  book 
presents  Satan  working  by  craft  and  guile,  as 
in  Eden  of  old,  with  Christ  the  Victor.  Christ's 


THE  VICTORY  153 

trail  of  triumph  is  marked  as  by  a  chain  of 
gold  through  the  first  eleven  chapters  of  the 
book.  He  is  the  Victor  and  every  touch  of 
power  reveals  his  presence  behind  it  as  the  in- 
itial impulse.  At  the  time  of  writing  the 
Apocalypse  John  had  either  written  or  would 
write,  "To  this  end  was  the  Son  of  Man  mani- 
fested, that  he  might  destroy  the  works  of  the 
devil."^  In  the  last  verse  but  one  of  the  elev- 
enth chapter  of  this  drama  the  Elders  glorify 
God  that  the  time  has  come  to  "destroy  them 
that  destroy  the  earth.^'  These  two  passages 
are  one  in  spirit.  Different  words  are  used  to 
express  the  idea  of  destruction,  that  in  the 
Apocalypse  being  the  much  more  intense.  In 
the  first  the  word  means  literally  to  "break 
up"  the  works  of  Satan.  In  the  latter  he  is  to 
be  "rotted  thoroughly.'^  These  words  pre- 
reveal  the  intensity  of  the  program  in  the  lat- 
ter half  of  the  drama  as  compared  with  the 
first.  The  opening  scene  of  the  latter  half  is 
a  "dumb  show,"  suggesting  the  character  of 
the  conflict  and  predicting  the  outcome. 
Satan  starts  the  conflict  by  seeking  to  "devour" 
the  newly-born  child.  "Devour"  lets  a  flood  of 
light  in  upon  the  fury  of  the  conflict  to  be 
carried  on  by  the  hosts  of  evil.  "Rot  thor- 
oughly" is  the  counterfoil  in  the  progTam  of 

•  1  John  3.  8. 


154       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

the  forces  of  righteousness.  The  Son  escapes 
the  fiery  red  dragon,  in  safety,  under  the 
shadow  of  God's  throne.  With  supranatural 
aid,  the  mother  eludes  the  pursuing  dragon  in 
the  earth.  This  episode  foreshadows  victory 
over  Satan  in  heaven  and  in  earth.  One  might 
paraphrase  a  well-known  quotation  by  saying, 
"Hell  hath  no  fury  like  a  devil  scorned.'' 
Henceforth  it  is  not  "sound  and  fury"  alone, 
but  the  conflict  has  the  fury  of  the  battle  unto 
death.  There  are  no  battles  staged  in  the  first 
half  of  the  drama,  but  there  are  three  in  the 
latter  half. 

Victory  in  Heaven 

Following  the  "dumb  show''  the  first  battle 
in  the  new  program  of  fury  takes  place  in 
heaven  between  the  forces  of  God  and  the  hosts 
of  evil.  The  hosts  of  Satan  are  defeated  and 
he  is  cast  out — "flung  headlong  flaming  from 
the  ethereal  sky,"  as  Milton  puts  it.  A  great 
voice  from  heaven  proclaims  the  victory  and 
announces  the  arrival  of  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  the  authority  of  Christ.  That  is  a  master- 
stroke when  Satan  is  introduced  into  the 
earth  as  a  defeated  devil !  There  is  the  very 
tang  of  ultimate  victory  in  it.  He  is  no  longer 
the  invincible  one.  He  has  been  defeated  by 
the  power  of  heaven.    These  forces  are  operat- 


THE  VICTORY  155 

ing  throughout  the  earth,  and  he  will  be  de- 
feated again! 

Victory  in  Earth 

Following  the  deviPs  defeat  on  the  plains 
of  heaven  the  scene  shifts  to  earth.  Being  de- 
feated in  his  attack  on  the  woman,  who  had 
escaped  him  in  heaven,  he  is  enraged  and  pre- 
pares to  make  war  on  her  seed.  He  begins  the 
war  by  empowering  the  two  "beasts,"  the  civil 
and  religious  leadership  of  the  Roman  Empire. 
Unclean  spirits  creep  out  of  his  mouth  and  out 
of  the  mouth  of  each  of  the  "beasts"  and  hurry 
away,  like  orderlies,  to  summon  the  kingly 
hosts  to  battle.  Heaven  prepares  to  help  the 
forces  of  right  in  the  world.  The  natural 
forces  of  the  earth  assume  a  supranatural  ac- 
tivity, in  cooperation  with  the  angels  of  the 
seven  bowls.  The  wicked  city  trembles  at  the 
touch  of  the  breath  of  God's  power  and  falls 
into  ruins.  After  suitable  jubilations  over  its 
downfall  by  heavenly  hosts  and  lamentations 
by  the  copartners  of  the  fallen  city,  the  heavens 
open.  The  conquering  Christ  is  seen  on  the 
plains  of  heaven,  riding  a  white  horse  and  go- 
ing forth  to  make  war.  As  conquerors  return 
from  the  field  of  victory  with  bloody  garments, 
so  as  he  plans  his  battle  his  white  raiment  is 
already  flecked  with  the  blood  of  the  fray.    He 


156       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

is  followed  by  his  white-clad  warriors,  who  also 
ride  white  horses,  the  emblems  of  victory. 
Satan's  armies,  reenforced  by  the  hosts  of  the 
kings  of  the  earth,  are  encamped  at  Har- 
Magedon,  where  they  are  attacked  by  the 
armies  of  heaven  led  by  Christ,  the  Word  of 
God.  The  forces  of  evil  are  defeated  and  slain 
and  the  two  beasts  captured  and  cast  alive 
into  the  lake  of  fire.  Immediately  after  the 
defeat  of  Satan's  underlings  the  heavens  open 
and  an  angel  descends  with  the  key  to  the 
abyss  and  a  great  chain  in  his  hand.  He 
binds  Satan  and  casts  him  into  the  abyss, 
which  is  sealed  over  him.  Being  freed 
from  his  prison,  Satan  makes  another  des- 
perate attempt  to  defeat  the  plans  of  God.  He 
recruits  his  new  army  from  the  ^^four  corners 
of  the  earth,"  the  number  being  ^^as  the  sand 
of  the  sea."  As  this  army  charges  "over  the 
breadth  of  the  earth,"  in  attempt  to  encircle 
the  "camp  of  the  saints,"  fire  falls  from  heaven 
and  consumes  them  all  but  their  leader,  who 
is  captured  and  meets  the  most  terrible  fate  the 
brain  of  man  can  conceive.  He  is  cast  into 
the  lake  of  fire  to  be  "tormented  day  and  night 
forever  and  ever." 

Poetic  Justice  and  Victory 

One  more  step  in  the  march  of  victory  is 


THE  VICTORY  157 

necessary  to  complete  this  drama  and  satisfy 
the  vein  of  poetic  justice  which  runs  through 
it.  Myriads  of  suffering  saints  had  stood  be- 
fore the  Roman  tribunal  and  had  been  led 
away  to  be  burned  at  the  state  or  torn  by  lions. 
But  the  scene  is  now  changed.  Christ  is  the 
Victor,  and  the  persecuting  Roman  world  must 
now  stand  before  the  throne  of  God  for  judg- 
ment. Thus,  before  the  final  curtain  of  this 
drama  is  down  every  head  of  evil  that  wore 
a  diadem  is  prostrate  in  defeat.  Christ^s  head 
alone  is  erect,  with  flashing  diadems  upon  it, 
as  he  stands.  Supreme  Victor,  silhouetted 
against  the  sky-line  of  time. 

Christ  the  Enthroned  Victor 

Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke  record  Christ  as 
applying  the  first  verse  of  the  one  hundred  and 
tenth  Psalm  to  his  own  exaltation.  ^^  Peter 
followed  his  Master's  example  in  his  sermon 
at  Pentecost.^^  All  three  of  the  Evangelists 
refer  to  Christ's  victory  and  the  resultant  seat 
on  the  right  of  God.^^  L^ke  in  Acts,  Paul  in 
Colossians,  the  author  of  Hebrews  and  Peter 
in  his  first  Epistle  do  likewise.^^  The  church 
of  the  apocalyptic  period  must  have  had  a  vivid 

w  Matt.  22.  44;  Mark  12.  36;  Luke  20.  42. 

"  Acts  2.  34. 

"Matt.  26.  64;  Mark  16.  19;  Luke  22.  69. 

"Acts  7.  55,  56;  Col.  3.  1;  Heb.  12.  2;  1  Pet.  3.  22. 


158       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

conception  of  Christ's  triumph  and  his  conse- 
quent share  in  the  honor  and  glory  due  to  God. 
This  common  heritage  would  naturally  receive 
fresh  impulse  in  the  day  of  intense  struggle 
and  trial.  The  apocalyptic  appeal  would  be 
greatly  intensified  by  this  preliminary  con- 
ception. Christ  closed  his  message  to  the  seven 
churches  by  referring  to  his  seat  upon  the 
throne  beside  the  Father,  thus  linking  their 
previous  heritage  of  thought  with  the  apoca- 
lyptic message.  Between  this  and  the  close  of 
the  drama  there  are  occasional  veiled  hints  of 
the  presence  of  Christ  on  the  throne  with  the 
Father,  but  the  full  expression  does  not  come 
until  the  last  chapter,  when  the  throne  of  God 
and  of  the  Lamb  is  unveiled  for  the  first  time. 
Thrones  came  thick  and  fast  in  the  prepara- 
tory stages  of  the  drama  when  banners  of  hope 
were  being  held  aloft.  Thirty-three  appear 
in  the  first  half  of  the  drama  and  but  twelve  in 
the  latter.  After  Satan's  final  defeat  the 
throne  appears  but  four  times.  Once  it  is  the 
judgment  throne  of  God.  Once  Christ  sits 
upon  a  throne  making  all  things  new.  Twice 
the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb  is  presented. 
In  the  last  night  of  Christ's  earthly  anguish 
he  prayed,  "I  glorified  thee  on  the  earth,  hav- 
ing accomplished  the  work  thou  hast  given  me 
to  do.    And  now,  Father,  glorify  thou  me  with 


THE  VICTORY  159 

thine  ownself  with  the  glory  which  I  had  with 
thee  before  the  world  was."  When  the  last 
throne  of  this  dramatic  pageant  is  lifted  up 
that  prayer  is  answered  in  dramatic  terms, 
and  the  Conquering  Christ  sits  upon  the  throne 
with  the  Father  as  the  Victor  over  all  evil. 


"Fear  not,  for  I  have  redeemed  thee ;  I  have 
called  thee  by  thy  name,  thou  art  mine." — Isa. 
43.1, 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE 

The  Book  of  the  World's  Redemption 

In  broad,  general  terms,  the  Bible  is  the 
book  of  the  world's  redemption.  It  contains 
the  unfolding  story  of  the  divine  purpose  to  re- 
deem and  records  the  various  steps  taken  to 
accomplish  the  actual  result.  This  program 
had  its  inception  in  the  concern  of  a  loving  God 
for  a  sinning  race  which  he  had  created  and 
placed  in  a  world  keyed  to  righteousness.  The 
entire  plan  was  not  revealed  in  the  beginning, 
but  the  process  extends  through  the  centuries 
and  is  gradual,  though  not  uniform,  in  its  de- 
velopment. Like  a  mighty  river  which  starts 
upon  a  mountainside,  and  as  it  flows  onward 
grows  in  volume  and  power,  so  this  redemptive 
idea  begins  early  in  the  Book  of  books  and  pro- 
ceeds with  its  development,  growing  in  clear- 
ness, breadth,  and  depth,  as  the  silent  cen- 
turies go  by.  There  are  occasional  freshets  of 
contributing  elements  and  the  stream  runs  low 
in  times  of  drought,  but  it  runs  on. 

The  Old  Testament 

Naturally,  the  redemptive  idea  begins  witli 
163 


164      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

the  Old  Testament.  Judged  by  its  use  of  the 
words  ^^ransom,''  "redeem,"  and  "atonement," 
the  development  seems  to  have  been  in  the  form 
of  waves  rather  than  by  steady  accretion.  Like 
the  overflowing  river  which  leaves  a  rich  de- 
posit of  silt  upon  receding,  so  certain  periods 
of  oppression  of  the  Israelitish  people  left  a 
residuary  deposit  in  words,  related  to  redemp- 
tion, which  shows  a  close  correlation  between 
oppression  and  the  idea  of  redemption. 

Nineteen  Old  Testament  books  are  inti- 
mately related  to  periods  of  oppression  of  the 
chosen  people  of  God.  "Ransom,''  "redeem," 
and  "atonement"  appear  in  the  entire  Old  Tes- 
tament two  hundred  and  seventeen  times. 
They  are  found  in  the  nineteen  books  related 
to  periods  of  oppression  one  hundred  and 
eighty-two  times  and  thirty-five  times  in  the 
remaining  twenty  books.  Since  much  of  the 
history  of  the  Israelitish  race  was  written  un- 
der the  shadow  of  oppression,  and  deliverance 
from  the  oppressor  is  such  a  natural  longing 
of  humanity,  it  is  not  strange  that  the  human 
relation  to  the  dark  problem  of  sin  should  be 
tinged  with  the  same  thought  of  oppression  and 
deliverance.  The  Israelites  w^ere  so  accus- 
tomed to  being  regarded  as  slaves  that  they 
naturally  thought  of  man  under  sin  as  a  chat- 
tel, to  be  bought  back,  redeemed,  or  ransomed. 


THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     165 

During  the  Old  Testament  period  the  strands 
of  redemptive  purpose  were  so  interwoven  with 
those  of  ethics,  social  and  national  prosperity, 
that  at  times  they  seem  to  represent  the  ex- 
treme minimum  of  the  recording  page.  There 
were  flashings  of  it  in  song  and  prayer ;  the  his- 
toric page  was  frequently  lighted  up  with  it. 
Its  germ  was  frequently  embedded  in  the  legal 
fabric  and  the  prophetic  page  was  occasionally 
luminous  with  its  growing  light.  The  process 
persevered  and  the  centuries  witnessed  the 
gradual  addition  of  the  fundamentals. 

The  New  Testament 

Fresh  emphasis  was  placed  upon  the  devel- 
oping idea  of  redemption  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment period  and  it  centers  in  a  person  for  the 
first  time.  The  angel  told  Joseph  the  unborn 
child  should  "save  his  people  from  their\^ 
sins."^*  The  saintly  Zacharias  caught  a 
vision  of  the  coming  Redeemer  of  whom  his 
newly-born  son  was  to  be  the  herald  and  con- 
cerning whom  he  sang  in  his  "Benedictus."^'^ 
The  devout  Simeon,  having  been  promised  the 
sight  of  the  "Lord's  Christ"  before  his  death, 
took  the  Holy  Infant  in  his  arms,  and  blessing 
God,  said: 

»*  Matt.  1,  21. 
"  Luke  1.  67-80, 


166       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

"Now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart,  Lord, 
According  to  thy  word,  in  peace; 
For  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation. 
Which  thou  hast  prepared  before  the  face  of 
all  peoples." ^^ 

The  aged  Anna  saw  in  Christ  the  hope  of  re- 
demption.^"^ Very  early  in  Jesus'  ministry 
John  the  Baptist  sensed  the  relation  of  Christ 
to  the  redemptive  purpose,  crying  out,  ^^Be- 
hold,  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world  !"^^  Matthew  and  Mark  agree 
that  Christ  came,  not  to  be  the  passive  subject 
of  ministry,  but  to  "minister,  and  to  give  his 
life  a  ransom  for  many.'^^^  Christ  recognized 
his  place  in  the  atonement,  at  the  Last  Sup- 
per, "For  this  is  my  blood  of  the  covenant, 
which  is  poured  out  for  many  unto  remission 
of  sins."^^  He  came  not  only  to  die  but  to  give 
his  entire  life  as  a  ransom.  His  confinement 
in  the  limitations  of  a  human  body  was  as 
much  a  part  of  his  sacrificial  humiliation  as  his 
agony  in  death. 

JoHN^s  Gospel  and  Epistles 

There  is  little  doubt  that  the  writings  of 

»  Luke  2.  29-32. 

1'  Luke  2.  38. 

"John  1.  29. 

»» Matt.  20.  28;  Mark  10.  45. 

»  Matt.  26.  28:  Mark  14.  24:  Exod.  24.  8. 


THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     167 

John  are  among  the  last^of  the  New  Testament 
works  to  be  written.  vThe  developing  idea  of 
redemption  would  reach  its  most  complete 
form  in  the  later  books.  This  is  precisely  what 
happens.  The  mediatorial  life  and  death  of 
Jesus  is  presented  with  striking  explicitness  in 
the  Gospel  of  John.  He  is  the  only  New  TesA 
tament  writer  to  record  the  Baptist's  appraisal) 
of  Jesus  as  the  "Lamb  of  God.^'^i  Christ  is 
likened  to  a  lamb  by  two  other  New  Testament 
writers,  but  he  is  not  called  one.^^  One  of  the 
most  outstanding  statements  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, showing  that  the  mediatorial  ministry  of 
Jesus  had  its  origin  in  the  love  of  God  for  men, 
is  made  by  John.^^  One  of  the  clearest  cut 
gems  of  expression,  touching  the  vicarious  of- 
fering of  himself,  is  Jesus'  own  saying  recorded 
by  John.^^  No  writer  reports  a  single  state- 
ment from  the  lips  of  Jesus,  revealing  the  com- 
plete surrender  of  his  person  to  the  redemptive 
purpose,  which  is  more  cogent  than  that  re- 
corded by  John.^^  While  he  put  great  empha- 
sis upon  the  person  of  Jesus  as  the  Son  of 
God,  he  is  equally  emphatic  in  his  insistence 
upon  the  essential  relation  of  Christ  to  the 


«  John  1.  29,  36. 

a  Acts  8.  32;  1  Pet.  1.  19. 

»  John  3.  14,  15,  16. 

MJohn  10.  11,  15. 

»  John  10.  18. 


168      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

salvation  of  men.  He  is  the  Vine,  the  Water 
of  Life,  the  Bread  of  Life,  the  Light  of  Life, 
the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life.  So  essential 
is  the  contact  between  the  saved  soul  and 
Christ  that  "No  one  cometh  unto  the  Father''^® 
but  by  him,  and  "except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the 
Son  of  man  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  not 
life  in  your  selves."^^  Christ  is  referred  to 
but  four  times  in  the  New  Testament  as  the 
"Propitiation  for  sin"  and  two  of  these  times 
the  phrase  is  employed  by  John.^^ 

The  Apocalypse 

No  book  of  the  Bible  is  more  thoroughly 
saturated  with  the  idea  of  redemption  by  the 
blood  of  the  slain  Lamb  of  God  than  the  Apoca- 
lypse. Though  last  it  is  not  least  in  its  appre- 
ciation of  the  efficacy  of  the  atonement  in 
Christ. 

Very  early  in  the  drama  Christ  is  presented 
as  the  one  w^ho  "loosed  us  from  our  sins  by  his 
blood."^^  The  great  chorus  of  Living  Crea- 
tures and  Elders,  singing  of  the  worthiness  of 
Christ,  base  it  upon  the  fact  that  he  had  been 
slain  and  had  "purchased  unto  Gk>d,"  men  of 
every  tribe,  tongue,  people  and  nation  with 

«  John  14.  6. 

"  John  6.  53. 

M  1  John  2.  2;  4.  10. 

V  Rev.  1.  5, 


THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     169 

his  blood.  Martyred  souls,  sanctuaried  under 
the  altar  of  God,  received  white  robes, ^^ 
"washed  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."^^  A  great 
voice  declared  the  victory  of  the  saints  over 
the  forces  of  the  evil  one  was  made  possible 
because  of  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.^^  There  are 
two  references  in  the  drama  to  a  book  of  life 
"written  from  the  foundation  of  the  world." 
This  book,  in  which  the  names  of  saints  were 
enrolled,  is  the  "book  of  life  of  the  Lamb  that 
hath  been  slain."  One  hundred  and  forty-four 
thousand  associates  of  the  Lamb,  bearing  his 
name  upon  their  foreheads,  are  said  to  have 
been  "purchased^^  as  "first-fruits  unto  God 
and  the  Lamb."  Paul  had  written,  "Ye  were 
bought  with  a  price."^^  Peter  had  already  re- 
ferred to  men  who  had  forsaken  Christ  as  deny- 
ing Christ  who  had  "bought  them."^*  Accord- 
ing to  Matthew  and  Mark,  Jesus  used  the  word 
"ransom"  concerning  his  life  of  sacrifice,  and 
Paul  had  declared  that  he  "gave  himself  a 
ransom  for  all."^^  John  never  used  the  word 
"ransom,"  but  he  used  its  commercial  equiva- 
lent, "purchase."  Each  of  the  Gospels  and  the 
Apocalypse  used  the  word  in  a  purely  com- 
mercial capacity.    The  word  is  applied  to  the 


•oRev. 

7. 

13. 

«  1  Cor.  6. 

20. 

»i  Rev. 

7. 

14. 

«  2  Pet.  2. 

1. 

«Rev. 

12 

!.  U. 

« 1  Tim.  2, 

.6, 

170      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

redemptive  intention  three  times  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse and  the  same  number  of  times  in  the  rest 
of  the  New  Testament.    Thus  the  age-old  idea, 
of  "buying  back"   the  erring  soul  is  also  a 
characteristic  feature  of  the  Apocalypse. 

1.    Christ  the  Redeeming  Lamb 

Because  of  the  strong  emphasis  placed  upon 
Christ  as  the  redeeming  Lamb,  the  Apocalypse 
is  unique  in  biblical  literature.  The  word  A^ 
"lamb"  appears  in  nineteen  books  of  the  Old 
Testament,  where  it  is  usually  connected  with 
sacrifice.  It  is  employed  by  only  three  authors 
in  the  New  Testament— ^uke,  I*^er,  and^ohn. 
It  appears  in  the  New  Testament  but  six  times 
outside  the  Apocalypse.  Twice  it  is  not  related 
to  sacrifice.  Two  times  Christ  is  referred  to 
as  a  lamb  and  twice  he  is  called  the  "Lamb  of 
God."   \The  word  appears  in  the  Apocalypse 

lamb."  Tw^tlty-eight  times  the  word  refers  to 
Christ  as  the  redemptive  Lamb.  No  other  book 
of  the  Bible  employs  the  word  so  many  times, 
except  that  of  Numbers,  which  contains  so 
much  descriptive  matter  pertaining  to  the  sac- 
rifices. Two  hundred  and  thirty-eight  New 
Testament  chapters  refer  to  Christ  as  a 
Lamb  four  times,  two  of  them  being  similes. 


^^^  twenty-nine  times.     The  earth-born  beast  is 
>(>^jJ^  described  as  having  "two  horns  like  unto  a 


THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     171 

Twenty-two  chapters  of  the  Apocalypse  refer 
to  him  as  a  sacrificial  Lamb  twenty-eight  times, 
and  four  times  he  is  said  to  be  a  "slain"  one. 
If  the  rest  of  the  New  Testament  had  used  the 
word  in  the  same  ratio,  it  would  have  appeared 
over  three  hundred  times  instead  of  four.  One 
half  of  the  chapters  of  the  Apocalypse  contain 
references  to  Christ  as  the  Lamb,  averaging 
two  and  one  half  times  to  the  chapter  in  which 
they  are  used.  Twenty-three  verses  out  of 
one  hundred  are  devoted  to  narrating  incidents 
in  which  the  Lamb  is  conspicuous. 

2.    The  Sealed  Booh  and  the  Slain  Lamb 

The  book  of  seven  seals  was  opened  by  the 
slain  Lamb.  All  the  wonderful  episodes  of 
power  introduced  in  chapters  five,  six,  seven, 
eight,  nine,  ten,  eleven,  have  their  initial  im- 
pulse imparted  by  him.  More  than  twenty- 
five  per  cent  of  the  entire  book  is  occupied  with 
this  series  of  episodes  alone.  The  sun,  moon, 
stars,  earthquake,  thunder,  lightning,  moun- 
tains, rivers,  and  seas,  fountains  of  water, 
winds,  fire,  hail,  seagoing  ships,  marine  crea- 
tures, grotesque  creations  shaped  like  horses 
combined  with  locusts  and  scorpions,  two  hun- 
dred million  galloping  horses  with  their 
strange  riders,  angels,  elders,  living  creatures 
— all  created  things  and  singing  hosts  are  in- 


172      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

troduced  into  the  scenes  of  this  drama  in  epi- 
sodes which  have  their  initial  impulse  of  power 
imparted  by  the  slain  Lamb. 

3.  The  Angels  of  the  Bowls  cmd  the  Slain  Lamb 

In  the  latter  half  of  the  drama,  beginning 
with  chapter  fifteen,  the  seven  angels  of  the 
bowls  are  introduced.  Following  this  the  vic- 
torious hosts  of  God,  which  had  triumphed 
over  the  beastly  representative  of  Satan,  ap- 
peared by  the  sea  of  glass,  singing  the  song  of 
Moses  and  the  Lamb.  This  song  about  the 
Lamb  introduces  the  seven  angels,  who  appear 
garbed  for  their  special  duties,  and  immedi- 
ately begin  their  work.  A  remarkable  series  of 
episodes  follow  strikingly  analogous  to  the  ef- 
fects resultant  from  the  actions  of  the  seven  an- 
gel trumpeters  in  the  first  half  of  the  drama. 
The  work  of  these  angels  does  not  end  until  the 
drama  is  almost  completed  (22.  15).  One 
needs  only  to  compare  the  episodes  connected 
with  the  seven  trumpeter  angels  and  those  of 
the  angels  of  the  bowls  to  see  that  they  are 
of  the  same  pattern  and  almost  identical  in 
main  features.  Practically  all  the  forces  of 
nature  in  the  first  set  are  again  used  in  the 
second  series.  More  than  one  half  of  the 
drama,  after  the  first  three  chapters,  is  in- 
volved in  these  spectacular  episodes  of  power. 


THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     173 

and  all  of  them  are  either  introduced  by  a  song 
about  the  Lamb  or  have  the  slain  Lamb  as  the 
initial  imparter  of  power.  It  is  difficult  to 
conceive  how  any  writer,  intending  to  impress 
his  readers  with  the  glory  and  power  of  the  re- 
deeming Lamb,  could  do  it  more  effectively 
than  it  is  done  in  these  striking  episodes. 

4.    The  Redeeming  Lamh  the  Basis  of  Victory 

There  are  three  battles  staged  in  this  drama. 
The  first  one  takes  place  on  the  plains  of 
heaven  and  is  between  Michael  and  his  angels 
and  Satan  and  his  hosts.  After  the  defeat  of 
Satan  the  angel  announcer  of  the  victory  de-  n^<>^^ 
clared,  "They  overcame  him  because  of  thec^^j^ 
blood  of  the  Lamb."  In  the  second  victorious '''^^^^^^ 
battle  the  forces  of  right  are  led  by  the  "Word 
of  God.''  The  third  battle  is  undoubtedly  be- 
tween the  Satanic  hosts  of  Gog  and  Magog  and 
the  white-raimented  hosts  also  commanded  by 
the  redeeming  "Word  of  God,"  and  takes  place 
near  the  walls  of  the  "beloved  city"  of  redemp- 
tion. Thus  the  results  of  these  three  decisive 
battles  of  the  drama  are  intimately  dependent 
upon  the  Redeeming  Lamb.  It  may  be  truly 
said  of  all  of  them,  "They  overcame  him  be- 
cause of  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."  Thus  is  vic- 
tory based  upon  the  blood  of  the  atoning  Lamb. 
Victory  over  Satan  and  his  beastly  confreres 


174       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

was  just  what  the  heart  of  these  tried  saints 
of  the  Lord  longed  and  wept  for  night  and  day. 
They  could  scarcely  have  been  told  more  ef- 
fectively that  all  their  hopes  of  victory  hung 
upon  the  blood  of  the  slain  Lamb.  Every  per- 
secuted follower  of  Christ  would  assuredly 
feel,  after  reading  or  hearing  such  passages 
read,  that  somehow  his  victory  over  evil  was 
based  upon  the  efficacy  of  the  blood  of  the 
slain  Lamb. 

5.     The  Redemptive  Purpose  Older  than  the 
Race 

The  redemptive  purpose  of  God  is  older  than 
the  race.  Redemptive  provisions  had  been 
made  ^^before  the  foundation  of  the  world."^* 
Christ  as  the  supreme  Sacrifice  "was  fore- 
known indeed  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world."^^  Redemption  in  Christ  is  called  an 
^^eternal  covenant"  in  the  book  of  Hebrews.^^ 

The  idea  of  the  eternal  quality  of  the  re- 
demptive purpose  in  Christ  appears  twice  in 
this  drama.  ^^  The  names  of  the  saints  are 
"written  in  the  book  of  life  from  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world."  This  book  is  identical  with 
the  "book  of  life  of  the  Lamb  that  hath  been 


»  Eph.  1.  4. 
w  1  Pet.  1.  20. 
w  Heb.  13.  20. 
»  Rev.  13.  8:  17.  8. 


THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     175 

slain.''  There  is  a  bit  of  confusion  whether  the 
phrase  "from  the  foundation  of  the  world" 
modifies  written  or  slain.  The  result  is  the 
same  in  either  case  and  Alford  thinks  it  modi- 
fies slain.  *^  Thus  the  Apocalypse  is  in  strict 
accord  with  John's  other  writings  and  the  rest 
of  the  New  Testament  in  the  matter  of  the  eter- 
nal quality  of  the  redemptive  purpose.  No 
fundamental  element  in  all  the  rest  of  the 
Bible,  touching  the  necessity,  power,  and  per- 
manency of  the  redemption  in  Christ,  is 
omitted  from  the  Apocalypse.  The  doctrine 
of  blood  redemption  which  watermarks  the 
teaching  of  the  apostles  and  which  has  vital- 
ized the  program  of  Christianity  through  the 
ages,^^  is  also  the  very  heart  and  soul  of  the 
drama  of  the  Apocalypse. 

6.    Redemption  Versus  Brute  Force 

In  certain  quarters  it  is  held  that  the  book 
of  Revelation  teaches  the  failure  of  the  re- 
demptive plan.  Does  the  Apocalypse  teach 
that  the  atoning  plan  of  God  for  the  salvation 
of  the  world  is  a  failure?  Having  been  finally 
completed,  as  it  centers  in  the  person  of  Christ 
and  his  death  upon  Golgotha,  is  it  to  be  aban- 
doned and  brute  force  substituted  for  it?  Does 


«  Century  Bible,  "Revelation,"  p.  238. 

"  Apostolic  Church,  Hastings,  vol.  ii,  p.  309. 


176       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

the  Apocalypse  reveal,  even  a  hint,  that  in 
the  mind  of  John  the  redemptive  purpose 
which  had  eternal  rootage  in  the  thought  of 
God  would  ultimately  be  abandoned  in  favor 
of  a  return  to  the  primitive  method  of  force? 
The  literal  interpretation  would  suggest  that, 
in  the  final  analysis,  the  enemies  of  right  are 
to  be  defeated  by  the  sword  and  flame.  The 
conquest  of  evil  by  fire  would  be  an  easy  way, 
but  is  it  God's  way?  Rome  thought  she  could 
conquer  Christianity  with  the  sword  and  flame, 
but  all  the  world  knows  that  she  was  stupidly 
mistaken.  This  drama  holds  up  the  powers  of 
evil  to  be  seen  by  the  flares  of  their  own  light- 
ing. They  sought  to  conquer  by  the  sword  and 
flame,  but  this  drama  presents  them  as  van- 
quished by  their  own  weapons.  John  is  saying, 
by  the  drama,  what  Matthew  reported  Jesus 
as  having  said,  "They  that  take  the  sword  shall 
perish  with  the  sword.'"*^  This  drama  does  not 
literally  teach  that  God  will  triumph  over 
wrong  in  «o  cheap  a  fashion.  Christ  had  been 
nailed  to  the  cross.  Roman  hands  of  force 
drove  the  nails.  But  that  cross,  into  which  the 
Roman  hands  of  force  drove  the  nails,  becomes 
the  emblem  of  world  conquest  by  redemptive 
power. 
God  could  kindle  a  fire  in  us  hot  enough  to 

«  Matt.  26.  52. 


THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     177 

burn  up  all  capacity  for  sin,  but  his  redemptive 
plan  is  not  built  upon  the  flame.  That  would 
be  a  short  cut  to  the  overcoming  of  evil,  but 
God  did  not  take  that  short  path.  His  problem 
is  like  that  which  confronts  the  physician.  It 
is  the  physician's  task  to  destroy  the  disease 
and  to  save  the  life  of  the  patient.  Redemption 
is  God's  plan  for  the  destruction  of  sin  and  the 
salvation  of  the  sinner.  The  physician  can 
destroy  any  disease,  but  in  so  doing  he  may 
take  the  life  of  his  patient.  God  can  destroy 
all  sin  in  the  race  by  one  sweep  of  his  hand 
of  power  and  destroy  the  race  by  the  same 
stroke.  Redemption  is  not  with  silver  or  gold 
or  flame  of  fire,  but  by  the  blood  of  the  slain 
Lamb  as  the  basis  of  strenuous  striving  against 
sin.  The  very  heart  of  the  dramatic  message 
is  that  men  may  overcome  sin  by  the  "blood  of 
the  Lamb."*^  God-sent  fire  is  not  the  basis  of 
ultimate  triumph,  but  a  divinely  inspired  de- 
fiance of  fire  is  not  the  real  basis  of  victory. 
In  the  dark  hour  of  his  betrayal  Jesus  did  not 
forget  that  "more  than  twelve  legions  of  an- 
gels" were  available  if  he  but  called  for  them.'** 
That  knowledge  helped  to  give  him  strength 
to  go  through  the  gates  of  unjust  judgment  to 
the  death  of  the  cross.  The  intervention  of  the 


**  Rev.  12.  11. 
**  Matt.  26.  53. 


178       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

legions  of  angels  could  have  given  temporary 
victory,  but  his  death  upon  the  cross  alone 
could  save  the  world.  All  the  material  world 
forces  are  arrayed  upon  the  side  of  the  right  in 
this  world  drama,  not  because  the  policy  of 
force  is  to  be  substituted  for  the  redemptive 
program,  but  that  men  who  feel  that  the  legions 
of  God's  natural  world  forces  are  at  their  call 
will  be  strengthened  thereby  to  go  through  the 
gates  of  unjust  judgment  to  their  cross  as  their 
Master  did  to  his.  Since  the  days  of  the  dying 
Jacob ^^  the  Israelites  had  turned  to  the  hope 
promised  in  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  in 
all  their  oppressions.  Enslaved  and  perse- 
cuted by  others,  the  Jewish  dreams  were  ever 
of  the  "Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,"  to  deliver 
them  from  the  hand  of  the  oppressor.  All  ho- 
rizons were  searched  for  the  "lion,"  in  the  days 
of  Christ,  to  deliver  them  from  the  yoke  of  Ro- 
man bondage.  Because  Christ  was  not  lion- 
like he  was  "despised  and  rejected."  Does  this 
drama  convey  the  impression  that  the  Lamb- 
like quality  of  Jesus'  character  and  teaching 
is  to  lead  to  his  ultimate  failure  to  save  the 
world  by  redemption?  Does  it  teach  that  the 
method  of  force,  which  he  deliberately  rejected 
during  his  earthly  sojourn,  alone  can  lead  to 
final  triumph? 

«  Gen.  49.  9. 


THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     179 

7.     PremillennMism  Dependent  Upon  Brute 
Force^^ 

Premillennialism  is  referred  to  at  this  junc- 
ture because  it  answers  both  the  above  ques- 
tions in  the  affirmatiye.  The  premillennial 
theory  is  based  upon  two  postulates : 

1.  The  failure  of  the  redemptive  method.*^ 

2.  The  resort  to  force  to  complete  the  task 
which  redemptive  measures  fail  to  accom- 
plish.^« 

The  drama  of  Revelation  gives  the  impres- 
sion that  the  world  is  to  be  saved  by  the  efficacy 
of  the  blood  of  the  slain  Lamb.  The  theory  of 
premillennialism  is  fundamentally  at  war  with 
this  conception.  An  accurate  estimate  of  the 
value  of  these  two  premises  of  premillennial- 
ism is  impossible  without  careful  consideration 
of  the  following  fundamental  factors : 

1.  These  premises  are  based,  for  the  most 
part,  upon  the  twentieth  chapter  of  the  book 
of  Revelation. 


«  Modern  PremiUennialism  and  the  Christian  Hope,  Rail,  p.  125. 

"  Jesus  Is  Coming,  W.  E.  B.,  p.  45.  Behold  the  Morning,  Wimberly,  p.  210. 

**  "He  will  enunciate  hia  claim  by  terror  and  might.  ...  He  will  tread 
and  trample  them  beneath  his  accusing  feet,  till  their  up-spurting  blood 
BhaU  make  him  crimson.  ...  He  comes  to  his  glory  not  as  the  Saviour 
meek  and  lowly,  not  through  the  suffrage  of  willing  hearts  and  the  plaudits 
of  a  welcoming  world,  but  as  a  king,  an  autocrat,  a  despot,  through  the 
gushing  blood  of  a  trampled  world.  ...  In  this  way  the  kingdom  is  to 
come,^  not  by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  and  the  aU-persuasive  power  of 
God."  Haldeman,  chap,  xvii,  quoted  in  Modem  Premillennialism  and  the 
Christian  Hope,  Rail,  p.  118. 


180      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

2.  These  premises  upon  which  the  theory  is 
based  are  dependent  upon  a  literal  interpreta- 
tion of  a  poetical  structure  which  contains  an 
unusual  amount  of  highly  wrought  imagery.*^ 

3.  These  premises  are  dependent  upon  a  lit- 
eral construction  of  a  production  of  high  dra- 
matic quality,  entirely  ignoring  the  dramatic 
features  and  what  the  actors  in  the  drama  do, 
which  is  as  vital  to  a  rational  understanding 
of  the  book  as  what  they  say. 

Conclusions  thus  formed  are  not  entitled  to 
serious  consideration  because  they  are  drawn 
from  premises  which  ignore  the  most  vital  ele- 
ments of  sound  interpretation.  These  two 
fundamental  premises  of  premillennialism 
must  be  rejected  for  the  further  reasons : 

1.  Because  the  advent  of  man  into  the  world 
introduced  a  new  factor,  that  of  moral  and 
spiritual  power,  and  no  vital  human  problem 
can  be  truly  solved  by  force  alone. 

2.  Because  Judaism  and  its  successor,  Chris- 
tianity, constitute  a  vital  part  in  the  develop- 
ment and  application  of  this  new  power,  and 
the  redemptive  purpose  of  God  in  Christ  is  the 
most  conspicuous  element  of  Christianity  and 
the  most  outstanding  factor  of  moral  trans- 
formation of  all  the  ages. 

3.  Christ  deliberately  chose  the  moral  and 

*»  The  Coming  of  the  Lord,  Snowden,  p.  225. 


THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     181 

spiritual  method  of  world  conquest  and 
definitely  rejected  the  plan  of  world  domina- 
tion by  force. 

4.  The  actors  in  the  drama  of  Revelation, 
by  speech  and  action,  give  the  impression  that 
evil  in  men  and  in  the  world  is  to  be  overcome 
"because  of  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.'' 

5.  The  Apocalypse  reveals  nothing  in  the 
background  of  John's  thinking  which  indicates 
an  abandonment  of  the  earlier  New  Testament 
conception  of  the  redemptive  efflcacy  of  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb. 

6.  John's  phrasing  in  the  Apocalypse  shows 
that  his  appreciation  of  redemption  by  the 
blood  of  Christ,  so  fully  and  confidently  ex- 
pressed in  his  other  writings,  had  not  abated  in 
the  slightest  degree. 

7.  The  drama  of  Revelation,  as  a  whole,  more 
constantly  accentuates  the  place,  power,  and 
permanency  of  the  redemptive  purpose  than 
any  other  book  of  the  Bible. 

In  view  of  these  facts,  it  is  obvious  that  any 
theory  which  teaches  the  failure  of  the  redemp- 
tive method  and  the  substitution  of  force  for 
it,  is  seriously  out  of  harmony  with  the  spirit 
of  the  drama  and  the  attitude  of  the  author 
which  is  reflected  in  the  book.  Instead  of  giv- 
ing the  impression  of  the  failure  of  the  redemp- 
tive method  the  drama  presents  the  Roman 


182       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

Empire,  which  was  the  mightiest  incarnation 
of  force  in  its  day,  as  in  vital  conflict  with  re- 
demption and  its  allied  elements,  and  almost 
every  page  glows  with  confidence  in  the  inev- 
itable triumph  of  the  redemptive  forces.  Pitted 
against  the  saints  alone,  the  beast  had  power 
to  make  war  against  them  and  to  overcome 
them,^^  but  warring  against  the  redemptive 
purpose  of  God,  the  beast  and  his  confreres 
"shall  war  against  the  Lamb,  and  the  Lamb 
shall  overcome  them,  for  he  is  Lord  of  lords, 
and  King  of  kings.^'^^ 

8.    The  Oppugnant  Cities 

Of  all  contrasts  in  this  book  of  weird  oppo- 
sites  the  most  remarkable  one  is  that  of  the 
two  cities.  One  thread  of  golden  thought  runs 
through  the  entire  drama.  It  is  expressed  in 
the  saying  just  above  quoted.  This  motif  of 
the  drama  is  very  evident  in  these  two  con- 
trasts with  which  it  practically  closes.  Chris- 
tianity is  based  upon  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God 
and  the  Redeemer  of  the  world.  There  is  the 
constant  assertion  and  suggestion  running 
through  this  drama  that  the  terrible  conflict 
which  marked  those  bloody  days  was  one  be- 
tween the  imperial  power  and  that  conception 


»  Rev.  13.  7. 
"  Rev.  17.  14. 


THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     183 

of  religion  which  accepted  Christ  as  the  world's 
redeeming  Lamb.  The  forces  of  the  empire 
were  ^'making  war  against  the  Lamb,  and  the 
Lamb  shall  overcome  them.''  The  last  main 
scene  presents  the  two  oppugnant  cities,  Rome 
and  the  New  Jerusalem.  One  is  the  City  of 
Sin,  the  incarnation  of  brute  force.  The  other, 
contrary  to  the  general  conception,  is  not 
heaven  but  the  City  of  Redemption  which 
comes  "down  out  of  heaven  from  God."^^ 

As  the  attack  upon  the  woman  and  her  child 
by  the  dragon  was  a  dumb  show,  forecasting 
the  outcome  of  the  conflict  between  the  hosts 
of  evil  and  the  forces  of  righteousness,  so  the 
episode  of  these  two  oppugnant  cities  is  a 
summary  of  the  whole  drama.  The  Spirit  car- 
ried the  seer  into  the  wilderness  to  see  the 
judgment  and  downfall  of  "Babylon,"  and  an 
angel  guided  him  to  a  great  high  mountain  to 
witness  the  Holy  City  descend  from  heaven. 
One  of  the  angels  of  the  last  plagues  tells  John 
about  both  cities.  Each  city  has  a  woman  con- 
nected with  it.  The  woman  in  "Babylon"  is  a 
harlot,  the  one  in  the  New  Jerusalem  is  a 
bride,  "the  Lamb's  wife."  These  two  women 
are  indicative  of  the  character  of  the  two  cities. 
One  is  the  Unholy  City,  the  other  the  Holy 
City.    The  word  for  "harlot"  appears  five  times 

KKev.  21.  la 


184      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

in  the  drama  and  is  applied  to  nothing  else 
than  the  city  of  "Babylon.'^  She  is  a  harlot — 
mother  of  harlots.  That  is  shameful  in- 
deed! "Fornication"  is  used  twenty-nine 
times  in  the  rest  of  the  New  Testament.  It  is 
employed  seventeen  times  in  the  Apocalypse, 
thirteen  times  in  connection  with  the  wicked 
city,  Kome,  alias  "Babylon."  Twenty-eight 
per  cent  of  the  times  the  word  for  harlot  or  har- 
lotry is  used  in  the  New  Testament  and  sixty- 
eight  per  cent  of  the  times  it  appears  in  the 
Apocalypse  is  in  connection  with  the  City  of 
Sin. 

9.    The  Sharp  Contrast 

In  sharp  contrast  with  this  city  of  amazing 
wickedness,  as  suggested  by  these  terms  and 
kindred  references,  the  City  of  Redemption  is 
the  "wife  of  the  Lamb."  Its  twelve  gates  bear 
the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel  and  its 
foundations  the  names  of  the  "twelve  Apostles 
of  the  Lamb."  The  foundation  walls  are 
adorned  with  the  precious  stones  like  those  set 
in  the  breastplate  of  the  high  priest,  who  alone 
could  enter  the  Holy  of  holies,  and  then  only 
on  the  great  Day  of  Atonement.  Nothing  un- 
clean, and  none  who  make  an  abomination  or 
a  lie,  may  enter  the  City  of  Redemption,  but 
only  those  whose  names  are  written  in  the 


THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     185 

Lamb's  book  of  life.  In  the  twenty-four  verses 
about  the  Holy  City  the  word  "Lamb''  appears 
seven  times,  one  fourth  as  many  times  as  in 
the  entire  book.  This  brief  section  employs 
this  word,  which  is  so  closely  related  to  the 
redemptive  idea,  once  to  every  three  and  one 
half  verses,  while  it  appears  but  once  to  every 
eighteen  and  one  half  verses  in  the  rest  of  the 
drama.  The  characteristic  word  connected 
with  "Babylon"  is  "harlot."  The  outstanding 
word  in  the  description  of  the  New  Jerusalem 
is  "Lamb." 

Hearing  it  said  that  those  who  wash  their 
robes  may  have  a  right  to  the  tree  of  life  and 
may  enter  in  through  the  gates  to  the  city 
would  inevitably  recall  the  intense  word  used 
early  in  the  drama  about  the  souls  who  had 
been  "loosed  from  their  sins  by  his  blood,"  and 
the  other  trenchant  expression  about  the  mar- 
tyrs whose  robes  were  "washed  and  made  white 
in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb." 

When  this  drama  was  written  the  ancient 
city  of  Jerusalem  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Ro- 
mans, and  they  were  dominating  it  as  they  had 
ruled  Rome.  When  the  final  curtain  of  this 
superb  drama  rings  down,  the  City  of  Sin,  with 
all  its  wealth,  pride,  and  glory,  has  fallen  into 
the  dust,  the  heavens  have  opened  and  the  Holy 
City  has  descended  to  take  its  place. 


186      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

In  contrast  with  the  City  of  Sin  and  its  many 
temples,  wherein  were  many  orgies  of  sin  and 
shame,  is  the  City  of  Redemption.  It  is  built 
upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  of  the 
Lamb.  It  is  templeless  except  that  God  and 
the  living  Lamb  are  its  temple,  the  Lamb  its 
light,  God  and  the  Lamb  are  seated  jointly 
upon  its  throne,  the  names  of  its  citizenship  are 
engraven  upon  the  Lamb's  book  of  life,  and  its 
mute  gates  of  invitation  are  flung  open  day 
and  night,  while  the  Spirit  joins  with  the  open- 
gated  City  of  Redemption  inviting  whoever 
will  to  come  and  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely. 

After  viewing  the  episodes  of  the  Wicked 
City  and  the  Holy  City,  whatever  other  im- 
pressions may  have  been  made  upon  the  expect- 
ant souls  of  the  saints  in  the  days  of  the  reg- 
nancy  of  the  "beast,"  amid  the  fury  of  the 
sword  and  flame,  one  abiding  impression  must 
have  been  that  Sin,  not  Redemption,  would 
fail;  that  Redemption,  not  Sin,  would  ulti- 
mately triumph. 

10.    The  Chorus  and  Redemption 

If  there  ever  was  an  intention  upon  the  part 
of  the  author  of  this  drama  to  make  it  teach 
that  Redemption  would  fail  in  its  purpose  to 
save  the  world,  it  certainly  would  appear  in  the 
choruses  or  group   sayings,   for   the   drama 


THE  EEDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     187 

reaches  its  utmost  intensity  at  these  points. 
Four  of  these  groups  are  devoted  to  adoration 
of  God  alone.  One  proclaims  the  rulership  of 
God  and  Christ.  Nine  of  them  glorify  the 
Lamb.  Not  one  of  them  or  any  portion  of 
any  one  of  them,  contains  a  hint  of  the  triumph 
of  Christ  as  "King  of  kings"  or  "Lord  of 
lords,"  which  we  might  expect  if  it  were  the 
intention  of  the  author  to  suggest  that  force 
would  ultimately  replace  the  redemptive  pro- 
gram because  of  its  failure. 

11.    The  Names  of  Christ 

Christ  is  known  by  twenty-five  other  titles 
in  this  drama.  This  unusual  range  of  title  af- 
forded a  fine  opportunity  to  convey  definite 
impressions  to  the  sensitive  spirits  of  the  per- 
secuted saints  by  these  names.  Had  it  been 
the  intention  of  the  author  to  teach  them  that 
victory  must  come  by  the  hand  of  force  it 
would  have  been  an  easy  matter  to  have  in- 
troduced Christ  as  "King  of  kings"  and  as  such 
the  leader  of  armed  hosts  to  which  they  might 
look  for  help  to  win  their  victories.  The  exact 
contrary  of  this  is  true.  Of  the  twenty-six 
titles  applied  to  Christ  in  this  drama  fourteen 
of  them  appear  to  have  no  suggestive  quality 
touching  this  matter.  It  would  be  generous 
to  say  that  of  the  remaining  twelve  titles  by 


188      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

which  he  is  known,  six  of  them  might  be  re- 
garded as  reflecting  the  popular  kingship 
method  of  that  day.  These  names  are  "Lion 
of  the  tribe  of  Judah,"  "Root  of  David/' 
"Ruler  of  kings/'  "King  of  kings/'  "Lord  of 
lords/'  and  "Offspring  of  David."  They  ap- 
pear nine  times.  The  remaining  six  titles  are 
"Christ/'  "Jesus/'  "Jesus  Christ/'  "Lord 
Jesus/'  "Word  of  God/'  and  "Lamb."  By  com- 
mon consent  they  all  look  toward  Calvary  and 
the  death  of  Christ  as  the  Lamb  of  God  that 
"taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  These 
titles  appear  forty-eight  times  in  the  drama. 
Though  these  titles,  suggestive  of  the  redemp- 
tive purpose  of  God,  are  the  same  in  number 
as  the  ones  which  reflect  the  kingship  method 
of  the  day,  they  appear  in  the  drama  more 
than  five  times  as  many  times.  Though  these 
words,  suggestive  of  the  redemptive  purpose, 
constitute  but  twenty-one  per  cent  of  the  total 
number  of  titles  applied  to  Christ  in  this 
drama,  yet  they  appear  sixty-one  per  cent  of 
the  times  which  the  entire  set  of  titles  are  em- 
ployed in  the  book. 

Had  it  been  in  the  author's  thought  that  the 
redemptional  method  would  be  replaced  by 
the  military  program,  how  easy  it  would  have 
been  to  have  an  Elder  suggest  that  the  Lamb 
could  open  the  book  of  seven  seals  and,  when 


THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     189 

all  eyes  were  in  expectancy,  to  have  the  "Lion 
of  the  tribe  of  Judah"  break  the  seals  instead 
of  the  Lamb !  That  would  have  been  convinc- 
ing enough;  but  the  reverse  of  this  happened 
because  the  redemptive  purpose  is  not  to  be 
abandoned  in  favor  of  the  military  program  of 
force,  but  the  militaristic  policy  is  to  be  super- 
seded by  redemptional  agencies. 

In  order  to  show  how  weak  and  inefficient 
the  throne  of  world  rulership  really  is,  either 
to  carry  forward  or  to  hinder  the  redemptional 
purpose  of  God,  a  monarch's  throne  is  intro- 
duced and  occupied  by  a  beast.  It  remains  on 
the  stage  just  long  enough  for  one  of  God's 
angels  to  empty  a  vial  of  God's  wrath  upon  it, 
when  the  whole  kingdom  is  immediately 
"darkened." 

Had  it  been  the  intention  of  the  author  to 
show  the  futility  of  the  redemptive  plan  for 
saving  the  world,  how  easy  it  would  have  been 
for  him  to  have  introduced  an  episode  showing 
the  Lamb  upon  the  throne,  and  later  replaced 
by  the  "King  of  kings" !  Nothing  like  this  oc- 
curred because  it  was  his  intention  to  show  the 
suffering  saints,  and  the  world  after  them,  that 
redemption  was  enthroned  as  the  permanent 
policy  and  the  most  effective  element  in  the 
program  of  moral  endeavor. 

The  use  of  so  many  titles  for  Christ,  in  the 


190      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

peculiar  way  in  which  they  are  employed,  and 
the  significant  action  in  the  episodes  to  which 
reference  has  just  been  made,  overwhelmingly 
sustains  the  theory  that  it  was  the  purpose  of 
the  drama  to  give  the  impression  that  the  re- 
demptive purpose  of  God  is  to  triumph. 

12.    The  Lamb  on  the  Throne 

The  relation  of  the  Lamb  to  the  throne  of 
God  in  this  drama  is  unique  in  biblical  litera- 
ture. There  is  not  the  slightest  intimation 
elsewhere  in  the  Bible  of  one  who  might  share 
the  throne  with  God.  Christ  is  the  first  to 
suggest  such  a  conception.  That  first  intima- 
tion appears  early  in  the  drama  when  he 
pledges  that  all  his  followers  who  overcome 
shall  share  his  throne  with  him,  as  he,  having 
overcome,  would  sit  upon  the  throne  with  his 
Father.  This  is  the  first  and  last  intimation 
of  his  relation  to  the  throne  of  God  as  Christ. 
As  the  Lamb  he  appears  in  two  later  episodes 
in  the  "midst"  of  the  throne  of  God.  Near  the 
close  of  the  drama  there  are  two  references  to 
a  shared  throne — the  "throne  of  God  and  of 
the  Lamb."53 

He  is  the  "Alpha  and  Omega''  in  this  drama, 
but  it  is  not  because  he  stood  by  the  pillars  of 
the  gates  of  time  at  its  opening  moment,  nor 

»» Rev.  22.  1,  3. 


THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     191 

because  his  eyes  will  feast  upon  the  glories  of 
the  sunset  of  the  last  day  of  Eternity  that  he 
sits  upon  the  throne  with  the  Father. 

He  is  the  ^^Son  of  God,"  and  though  from  the 
dawn  of  the  historic  memory  of  man  sons  had 
succeeded  their  fathers  upon  the  royal  throne, 
yet  as  a  Son  he  ascends  no  throne  of  his  Father. 

He  is  the  ^'Word  of  God"  who  "became 
flesh,"  that  "by  the  grace  of  God  he  should 
taste  of  death  for  every  man,"  who  leads  the 
white-robed  militant  hosts  of  God  to  victorious 
battle  and  whose  head  was  crowned  with 
"many"  diadems;  but  he  sits  upon  no  throne 
because  of  his  genius  as  a  military  leader. 

With  the  reins  of  authority  in  his  pierced 
hands  he  drives  the  chariot  of  power  through 
such  scenes,  in  this  drama,  as  would  have 
stirred  the  envy  of  the  most  powerful  Caesar 
that  ever  sat  upon  the  imperial  throne,  but  he 
ascends  no  throne  because  of  his  power. 

Great  voices  proclaim  his  regnancy  as  Christ 
and  put  him  on  an  equality  with  God  by  that 
sacred  Name,  but  as  Christ  he  never  sits  upon 
a  throne  nor  wears  a  diadem. 

He  is  the  "Lord  of  lords,"  and  with  Perronet 
our  hearts  join  in  singing,  "Bring  forth  the 
royal  diadem  and  crown  him  Lord  of  all,"  but 
no  crown  is  upon  his  brow  and  he  sits  upon  no 
throne  because  he  is  "Lord  of  lords." 


192      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

He  is  the  "King  of  kings"  and  the  "Ruler  of 
the  kings  of  the  earth,''  but  this  drama  robes 
him  with  no  purple,  thrusts  no.  scepter  in  his 
hands,  presses  no  crown  upon  his  sacred  brow, 
nor  seats  him  upon  a  throne  because  he  is  the 
"King  of  kings.'' 

He  is  the  "Offspring  of  David,"  but  no  an- 
gelic master  of  ceremonies  leads  him  to  the 
foot  of  the  Davidic  throne  because  he  is  the 
offspring  of  that  illustrious  poet-king. 

He  sits  upon  the  throne  in  this  drama  not  as 
Master  or  Lord,  not  as  Christ  or  Jesus,  not  as 
the  leader  of  triumphant  militant  hosts,  not 
as  a  judge  or  Creator,  not  as  Imperator  Di- 
vine, not  as  the  Son  of  God,  but  he  sits  upon  the 
throne  as  the  Redeeming  Lamb.  There  is  not 
the  faintest  whisper  of  one  to  sit  upon  the 
throne  with  God  the  Everlasting  Father,  ex- 
cept the  Eternal  Son,  and  he  only  as  the  Re- 
deeming Lamb. 

Why  does  this  wondrous  "Word  of  God," 
bearing  so  many  striking  titles,  and  appearing 
so  conspicuously  in  the  scenes  of  this  marvel- 
ous drama,  whose  honor  and  glory  are  chanted 
by  lips  human  and  divine,  never  ascend  the 
throne  except  as  the  Lamb?  There  is  but  one 
answer.  The  Son  of  God  sits  upon  the  throne 
with  the  Father  as  the  Redeeming  Lamb  be- 
cause it  was  and  is  the  purpose  of  God  to  save 


THE  REDEMPTIVE  PURPOSE     193 

the  race  to  eternal  life  by  the  redemptive 
mediation  of  his  Son  "as  a  lamb  that  is  led 
to  the  slaughter.''  This  drama  does  by  action 
what  the  forerunner  of  Christ  did  by  speech. 
Both  cry  aloud  to  all  the  world,  "Behold,  the 
Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world !" 


"Jehovah  opened  the  eyes  of  the  young  man ; 
and  he  saw:  and,  behold,  the  mountain  was 
full  of  horses  and  chariots  of  fire.'^ —  2  Kings 
6.  17. 


CHAPTER  VII 
THE  DRAMA 

The  original  apocalypse  appeared  to  John 
in  dramatic  form,  and  the  book  of  Revelation 
is  the  reporter's  account  of  the  drama  which 
he  saw.  Since  there  is  no  copy  of  the  first 
presentation,  the  best  way  to  understand  the 
purpose  and  scope  of  the  original  drama  is  to 
reproduce  it,  as  far  as  possible,  from  the  only 
written  account  we  have  of  it. 

To  prevent  the  scenic  features  being  over- 
emphasized or  confused  with  the  spoken  word, 
these  portions  have  been  condensed  somewhat ; 
while  the  actual  words  spoken  by  the  different 
characters  are  presented  verbatim. 

In  order  to  give  the  reader  an  actual  glimpse 
of  the  great  drama  which  was  apocalypsed  to 
John,  ihe  portions  which  he  "saw"  are  sharply 
distinguished  from  what  he  "heard,''  the 
dramatis  personse  have  been  introduced  at  the 
proper  moment  and  the  scenic  features  pre- 
sented as  actual  "color"  to  their  spoken  word. 

While  the  descriptive  portions  of  the  drama 
have  been  abridged  in  order  to  bring  out  the 
spoken  message,  there  is  no  intentional  omis- 
197 


198       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

sion  of  any  word  or  phrase  which  may  shed 
light  upon  the  interpretation.  The  reader  is 
urged  to  keep  in  close  touch  with  the  text  by 
use  of  the  marginal  references  provided  for  his 
convenience. 

The  whole,  as  thus  arranged,  will  now  be 
presented,  with  the  current  of  the  drama  fol- 
lowing the  exact  order  given  in  the  book  of 
Revelation. 

THE  DRAMATIS  PERSONiE 


Forces 

OF  Evil 

Red  Dragon,  the  Chief 

The  Mother  of  Har- 

The    Red     Dragon's 

lots 

Angels 

The  Sea-Born  Beast 

Beast  Worshipers 

The  Earth-Born  Beast 

Blasphemers  (two 

Armies     of     Earthly 

Groups) 

Kings 

Blaspheming  Cour- 

Armies  of   Gog   and 

tiers 

Magog 

Kings  of  the  Earth 

Nero  as  Beast  from 

the  Abyss 

Three  Unclean 

Spirit  Orderlies 

Hosts  of  Righteousness 

"Voices" 

Saints 

Heralds 

Prophets 

Unknown 

Second  Angel 

THE  DRAMA 


199 


Herald  Angel 

An  Eagle 

Holy  Angels 

King  Abaddon 

Captains,  Rich  and 
Strong 

Sea-Profiting  Folk 

Woman  in  Heaven 

Merchants 

Shipmasters 

Angel  in  the  Sun 

Angels  of  the  Winds 

Angel  of  the  Waters 

Michael,  Prince  of  An- 
gels 

Great  Voice  in  Heaven 

Seven  Angels  of  the 
Bowls 

Angel  Guardians  of 
the  Gates 

Great  Voice  like  a 
Trumpet 

Angels 

Martyrs 

Freemen 

Apostles 

Witnesses 

Third  Angel 

Strong  Angel 


Orderly  Angel 
Throne  Angels 
Seven  Thunders 
Four  Living  Creatures 
Sea-going  Folk 
Newly  Born  Child 
Mariners 
Bondmen 
Birds  of  Heaven 
Angel  of  Fire 
Sickle-bearing  Angels 
MichaePs  Angel-army 
A  Speaking  Altar 
Seven  Angel  Trumpet- 
ers 
The  Trumpet-voice 
Angel  Keeper  of  the 

Pit 
Great  Voice  from  the 

Temple 
yoice  from  the  Golden 

Altar 
Angel  of  Authority 
Four  Angels  bound  at 

Euphrates 
Angel  in  Mid-heaven 
Angel  of  the  Temple 
Locust  -  Horse  -  Scor- 
pion Hosts 


200      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 


Eider  of  the  White 
Horse 

Bider  of  the  Ked 
Horse 

Two  Hundred  Million 
Horsemen 

Chorus  of  Creatures 
and  Elders 

Group  of  Creatures 
and  Elders 

Group  of  Every  Cre- 
ated Thing 

Chorus  of  Victorious 
Hosts 

Great  Multitude  in 
Heaven 

Voice  from  the  Throne 

Seal-bearing  Angels 

Christ,  the  Kedeeming 
Son 

Another  Voice  from 
Heaven 

Censer-bearing  Angel 

Voice  in  midst  of  Liv- 
ing Creatures 

Announcing  Angel 
from  Heaven 


Great  Voice  from 
Temple  and  Throne 

Armies  of  Heaven  on 
White  Horses 

Twenty-four  Elders 

Rider  of  the  Black 
Horse 

Death  Riding  a  Pale 
Horse 

Group  of  Angels, 
Creat  ures  and 
Elders 

Numberless  Multitude 
Robed  in  White 

Group  of  Throne  An- 
gels, Creatures,  and 
Elders 

Great    Voices    in 
Heaven 

Chorus  of  Virgins 

One  Hundred  Forty- 
four  Thousand  from 
the  Twelve  Tribes 

A  Great  Multitude 

God,  the  Almighty 

The  Holy  Spirit 


THE  DRAMA         201 

THE  DRAMA 

Act  I 

EARTHLY  NEEDS 

Scene  I. — Patmos.    The  Lord's  Day 

THE  PROLOGUE 

Enter  Herald 
Herald  : 

"The  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  God  ^^^p  ^  ^-^ 
gave  him  to  show  unto  his  servants,  even  the 
things  which  must  shortly  come  to  pass:  and 
he  sent  and  signified  it  by  his  angel  unto  his 
servant  John;  who  bare  witness  of  the  word 
of  God,  and  of  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ, 
even  of  all  things  that  he  saw.  Blessed  is  he 
that  read,  and  they  that  hear  the  words  of  the 
prophecy,  and  keep  the  things  that  are  writ- 
ten therein :  for  the  time  is  at  hand." 
John,  greeting  the  seven  churches  of  Asia: 

"Grace  to  you  and  peace,  from  him  who  is  chap.  i.  4-7 
and  who  was  and  who  is  to  come;  and  from 
the  seven  Spirits  that  are  before  his  throne; 
and  from  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  faithful 
witness,  the  firstborn  of  the  dead,  and  the  ruler 
of  the  kings  of  the  earth.    Unto  him  that  loveth 


202      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

us,  and  loosed  us  from  our  sins  by  his  blood; 
and  he  made  us  to  be  a  kingdom,  to  be  priests 
unto  his  God  and  Father ;  to  him  he  the  glory 
and  the  dominion  forever  and  ever.  Amen. 
Behold,  he  eometh  with  the  clouds ;  and  every 
eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  that  pierced  him; 
and  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  shall  mourn  over 
him.    Even  so,  Amen." 

Enter  Christ 
Christ  : 

^*p-  ^-  8  "I  am  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,  saith  the 

Lord  God,  who  is  and  who  was  and  who  is  to 
come,  the  Almighty." 
John  continues  his  greeting: 

Chap.  1.9-18  ^^I^  John,  your  brother  and  partaker  with 

you  in  the  tribulation  and  kingdom  and  pa- 
tience which  are  in  Jesus,  was  in  the  isle  that 
is  called  Patmos,  for  the  word  of  God  and  the 
testimony  of  Jesus.  I  was  in  the  Spirit  on 
the  Lord's  day,  and  I  heard  behind  me  a  great 
voice,  as  of  a  trumpet,  saying.  What  thou  seest, 
write  in  a  book  and  send  it  to  the  seven 
churches:  unto  Ephesus,  and  unto  Smyrna, 
and  unto  Pergamum,  and  unto  Thyatira,  and 
unto  Sardis,  and  unto  Philadelphia,  and  unto 
Laodicea.  And  I  turned  to  see  the  voice  that 
spake  with  me.  And  having  turned  I  saw 
seven  golden  candlesticks;  and  in  the  midst 


THE  DRAMA  203 

of  the  candlesticks  one  like  unto  a  son  of  man, 
clothed  with  a  garment  down  to  the  foot,  and 
girt  about  at  the  breasts  with  a  golden  girdle. 
And  his  head  and  his  hair  were  white  as  white 
wool,  white  as  snow;  and  his  eyes  were  as  a 
flame  of  fire;  and  his  feet  like  unto  burnished 
brass,  as  if  it  had  been  refined  in  a  furnace; 
and  his  voice  as  the  voice  of  many  waters. 
And  he  had  in  his  right  hand  seven  stars :  and 
out  of  his  mouth  proceeded  a  sharp  two-edged 
sword :  and  his  countenance  was  as  the  sun 
shineth  in  his  strength.  And  when  I  saw  him, 
I  fell  at  his  feet  as  one  dead.  And  he  laid  his 
right  hand  upon  me,  saying,  Fear  not ;  I  am  the 
first  and  the  last,  and  the  Living  one;  and  I 
was  dead,  and  behold,  I  am  alive  forevermore, 
and  I  have  the  keys  of  death  and  Hades." 
Christ,  dictating  messages  to  John  the  amanu- 
ensis: 
"Write  therefore  the  things  which  thou  chap.  1. 19,  a 
sawest,  and  the  things  which  are,  and  the 
things  which  shall  come  to  pass  hereafter ;  the 
mystery  of  the  seven  stars  which  thou  sawest 
in  my  right  hand,  and  the  seven  golden  candle- 
sticks. The  seven  stars  are  the  angels  of  the 
seven  churches :  and  the  seven  candlesticks  are 
seven  churches." 


204      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

THE  MESSAGES 

"To  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Ephesus 
write: 

'These  things  saith  he  that  holdeth  the 
seven  stars  in  his  right  hand,  he  that  walketh 
in  the  midst  of  the  seven  golden  candlesticks : 
I  know  thy  works,  and  thy  toil  and  patience, 
and  that  thou  canst  not  bear  evil  men,  and 
didst  try  them  that  call  themselves  apostles, 
and  they  are  not,  and  didst  find  them  false; 
and  thou  hast  patience  and  didst  bear  for  my 
name's  sake,  and  hast  not  grown  weary.  But 
I  have  this  against  thee,  that  thou  didst  leave 
thy  first  love.  Remember  therefore  whence 
thou  art  fallen,  and  repent  and  do  the  first 
works;  or  else  I  come  to  thee,  and  will  move 
thy  candlestick  out  of  its  place,  except  thou 
repent.  But  this  thou  hast,  that  thou  hatest 
the  works  of  the  Nicolaitans,  which  I  also 
hate.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  saith  to  the  churches.  To  him  that 
overcometh,  to  him  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the 
tree  of  life,  which  is  in  the  Paradise  of  God." 

"And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Smyrna 
write: 

"These  things  saith  the  first  and  the  last,  who 
was  dead,  and  lived  again:  I  know  thy  tribu- 
lation, and  thy  poverty  [aside]  (but  thou  art 


THE  DRAMA  205 

rich),  and  the  blasphemy  of  them  that  say 
they  are  Jews,  and  they  are  not,  but  are  a 
synagogue  of  Satan.  Fear  not  the  things  which 
thou  art  about  to  suffer :  Behold,  the  devil  is 
about  to  cast  some  of  you  into  prison,  that  ye 
may  be  tried ;  and  ye  shall  have  tribulation  ten 
days.  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will 
give  thee  the  crown  of  life.  He  that  hath  an 
ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  to  the 
churches.  He  that  overcometh  shall  not  be 
hurt  of  the  second  death." 

"And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Perga-  ^^p-  2- 12-17 
mum  write : 

"These  things  saith  he  that  hath  the  sharp 
two-edged  sword:  I  know  where  thou  dwell- 
est,  even  where  Satan^s  throne  is;  and  thou 
boldest  fast  my  name,  and  didst  not  deny  my 
faith,  even  in  the  days  of  Antipas  my  witness, 
my  faithful  one,  who  was  killed  among  you, 
where  Satan  dwelleth.  But  I  have  a  few  things 
against  thee,  because  thou  hast  there  some  that 
hold  the  teaching  of  Balaam,  who  taught  Balak 
to  cast  a  stumblingblock  before  the  children 
of  Israel,  to  eat  things  sacrificed  to  idols,  and 
to  commit  fornication.  So  hast  thou  also  some 
that  hold  the  teaching  of  the  Nicolaitans  in 
like  manner.  Repent  therefore ;  or  else  I  come 
to  thee  quickly,  and  I  will  make  war  against 
them  with  the  sword  of  my  mouth.    He  that 


206       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith 
to  the  churches.  To  him  that  overcometh,  to 
him  will  I  give  of  the  hidden  manna,  and  I 
will  give  him  a  white  stone,  and  upon  the  stone 
a  new  name  written,  which  no  one  knoweth  but 
he  that  receiveth  it/' 

Chap.  2. 18-29  "And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Thyatira 

write : 

"These  things  saith  the  Son  of  God,  who 
hath  his  eyes  like  a  flame  of  fire,  and  his  feet 
are  like  unto  burnished  brass:  I  know  thy 
works,  and  thy  love  and  faith  and  ministry  and 
patience,  and  that  thy  last  works  are  more 
than  the  first.  But  I  have  this  against  thee, 
that  thou  sufferest  the  woman  Jezebel,  who 
calleth  herself  a  prophetess ;  and  she  teacheth 
and  seduceth  my  servants  to  commit  fornica- 
tion, and  to  eat  things  sacrificed  to  idols.  And 
I  gave  her  time  that  she  should  repent;  and 
she  willeth  not  to  repent  of  her  fornication. 
Behold,  I  cast  her  into  a  bed,  and  them  that 
commit  adultery  with  her  into  great  tribula- 

'  tion,  except  they  repent  of  her  works.    And  I 

will  kill  her  children  with  death ;  and  all  the 
churches  shall  know  that  I  am  he  that  search- 
eth  the  reins  and  hearts :  and  I  will  give  unto 
each  one  of  you  according  to  your  works.  But 
to  you  I  say,  to  the  rest  that  are  in  Thyatira, 
as  many  as  have  not  this  teaching,  who  know 


THE  DRAMA  207 

not  the  deep  things  of  Satan,  as  they  are  wont 
to  say;  I  cast  upon  you  none  other  burden. 
Nevertheless  that  which  ye  have,  hold  fast  till 
I  come.  And  he  that  overcometh,  and  he  that 
keepeth  my  works  unto  the  end,  to  him  will  I 
give  authority  over  the  nations;  and  he  shall 
rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron,  as  the  vessels  of 
the  potter  are  broken  to  shivers ;  as  I  also  have 
received  of  my  Father :  and  I  will  give  him  the 
morning  star.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him 
hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  to  the  churches." 

"And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Sardis  chap.  3.  i-e 
write : 

"These  things  saith  he  that  hath  the  seven 
Spirits  of  God,  and  the  seven  stars:  I  know 
thy  works,  that  thou  hast  a  name  that  thou 
livest,  and  thou  art  dead.  Be  thou  watchful, 
and  establish  the  things  that  remain,  which 
were  ready  to  die :  for  I  have  found  no  works 
of  thine  perfected  before  my  God.  Remember 
therefore  how  thou  hast  received  and  didst 
hear;  and  keep  it^  and  repent.  If  therefore 
thou  shalt  not  watch,  I  will  come  as  a  thief, 
and  thou  shalt  not  know  what  hour  I  will  come 
upon  thee.  But  thou  hast  a  few  names  in  Sar- 
dis that  did  not  defile  their  garments :  and  they 
shall  walk  with  me  in  white;  for  they  are 
worthy.  He  that  overcometh  shall  thus  be  ar- 
rayed in  white  garments ;  and  I  will  in  no  wise 


208       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

blot  his  name  out  of  the  book  of  life,  and  I  will 
confess  his  name  before  my  Father,  and  before 
his  angels.    He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear 
what  the  Spirit  saith  to  the  churches." 
Chap.  3. 7-13  "And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Phila- 

delphia write : 

"These  things  saith  he  that  is  holy,  he  that 
is  true,  he  that  hath  the  key  of  David,  he  that 
openeth  and  none  shall  shut,  and  that  shutteth 
and  none  openeth :  I  know  thy  works  [aside] 
(behold,  I  have  set  before  thee  a  door  opened, 
which  none  can  shut),  that  thou  hast  a  little 
power,  and  didst  keep  my  word,  and  didst  not 
deny  my  name.  Behold,  I  give  of  the  syna- 
gogue of  Satan,  of  them  that  say  they  are 
Jews,  and  they  are  not,  but  do  lie;  behold,  I 
will  make  them  to  come  and  worship  before 
thy  feet,  and  to  know  that  I  have  loved  thee. 
Because  thou  didst  keep  the  word  of  my  pa- 
tience, I  also  will  keep  thee  from  the  hour  of 
trial,  that  hour  which  is  to  come  upon  the 
whole  world,  to  try  them  that  dwell  upon 
the  earth.  I  come  quickly :  hold  fast  that  which 
thou  hast,  that  no  one  take  thy  crown.  He  that 
overcometh,  I  will  make  him  a  pillar  in  the 
temple  of  my  God,  and  he  shall  go  out  thence 
no  more :  and  I  will  write  upon  him  the  name 
of  my  God,  and  the  name  of  the  city  of  my 
God,  the  new  Jerusalem,  which  cometh  down 


THE  DRAMA  209 

out  of  heaven  from  my  God,  and  mine  own  new 
name.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  saith  to  the  churches.'' 

"And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Laodicea  chap.  3. 14-22 
write: 

"These  things  saith  the  Amen,  the  faithful 
and  true  witness,  the  beginning  of  the  crea- 
tion of  God :  I  know  thy  works,  that  thou  art 
neither  cold  nor  hot:  I  would  thou  wert  cold 
or  hot.  So  because  thou  art  lukewarm,  and 
neither  hot  nor  cold,  I  will  spew  thee  out  of 
my  mouth.  Because  thou  sayest,  I  am  rich, 
and  have  gotten  riches,  and  have  need  of 
nothing;  and  knowest  not  that  thou  art  the 
wretched  one  and  miserable  and  poor  and  blind 
and  naked :  I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  re- 
fined by  fire,  that  thou  mayest  become  rich; 
and  white  garments,  that  thou  mayest  clothe 
thyself,  and  that  the  shame  of  thy  nakedness 
be  not  made  manifest ;  and  eye-salve  to  anoint 
thine  eyes,  that  thou  mayest  see.  As  many  as 
I  love,  I  reprove  and  chasten :  be  zealous  there- 
fore, and  repent.  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door 
and  knock :  if  any  man  hear  my  voice  and  open 
the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup 
with  him,  and  he  with  me.  He  that  overcom- 
eth,  I  will  give  to  him  to  sit  down  with  me  in 
my  throne,  as  I  also  overcame,  and  sat  down 
with  my  father  in  his  throne.     He  that  hath 


210       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  to 
the  churches.'^ 

ACT  II 

HEAVENLY  ORIGINS 

Scene  I. — An  Open  Door  in  Heaven 

Voice  like  a  trumpet: 

"Come  up  hither,  and  I  will  show  thee  the 
things  which  must  come  to  pass  hereafter." 
John  sees  a  rainbow  throne,  its  occupant  ap- 
pearing as  a  jasper  and  sardius. 
Enter  twenty-four  Elders^  white  raimented 
and  golden  crowned.    They  sit  upon  thrones 
circling  the  great  throne.    Lightnings  flash, 
voices  and  thunders  are  heard.    Seven  lamps 
burn  before  the  throne. 
Enter  Four  Living  Creatures;  they  are  six- 
winged  and  featured  like  a  lion,  a  calf,  a 
man,  and  an  eagle.    They  circle  the  throne. 
Four  Living  Creatures: 

"Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  God,  the  Al- 
mighty, who  was  and  who  is  and  who  is  to 
come.'' 

As  the  Living  Creatures  honor  the  En- 
throned One,  the  Elders  cast  their  crowns 
at  his  feet,  and  worship  him  who  lives  for- 
ever : 


THE  DRAMA  211 

Elders  : 

"Worthy  art  thou,  our  Lord  and  God,  to  re-  chap.  4.  n 
ceive  the  glory  and  the  honor  and  the  power : 
for  thou  didst  create  all  things,  and  because 
of  thy  will  they  were,  and  were  created.'^ 
The  Enthroned  One  holds  a  seven-sealed  book  ^*^p-  ^-  ^ 

in  his  right  hand. 

Enter  sl  Strong  Angel 
Strong  Angel  : 

"Who  is  worthy  to  open  the  book,  and  to  chap.  5. 2 
loose  the  seals  thereof?" 
John  weeps  that  no  one  is  able  to  open  the  chap.  5. 3.4 

seals. 
An  Elder:  chap.6.5 

"Weep  not;  behold,  the  Lion  that  is  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah,  the  Root  of  David,  hath  over- 
come to  open  the  book  and  the  seven  seals 
thereof." 

Enter  sl  slain  Lamb  having  seven  horns  and  chap.  5.6-8 
seven  eyes.  He  stands  in  the  midst  of  the 
Elders  and  Creatures.  He  takes  the  book 
from  the  hand  of  the  Enthroned  One.  The 
Creatures  and  Elders,  each  having  a  harp 
and  a  golden  bowl  of  incense,  fall  at  the  feet 
of  the  Lamb.  Rising,  they  sing  a  New  Song. 
Creatures  and  Elders:  chap.5.9.10 

"Worthy  art  thou  to  take  the  book,  and  to 
open  the  seals  thereof :  for  thou  wast  slain, 


212      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

and  didst  purchase  unto  God  with  thy 
blood  men  of  every  tribe,  and  tongue,  and 
people,  and  nation,  and  madest  them  to  he 
unto  our  God  a  kingdom  and  priests ;  and 
they  reign  upon  the  earth." 

Chap.  5. 11         Enter  myriads  of  Angels  whose  voices  mingle 
with  those  of  the  Creatures  and  Elders. 
Angels,  Creatures,  and  Elders: 

Chap.  5. 12  "Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  hath  been  slain 

to  receive  the  power,  and  riches,  and  wis- 
dom, and  might,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and 
blessing." 

Chap.  5. 13  Enter  Every  Created  Thing 

Every  Created  Thing: 

"Unto  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and 
unto  the  Lamb,  he  the  blessing,  and  the 
honor,  and  the  glory,  and  the  dominion, 
forever  and  ever." 

The  Living  Creatures  : 
Chap.  6. 14  "Amen." 

The  Elders  fall  down  to  worship. 
Chap.  6. 1  The  Lamb  opens  the  first  seal. 

First  Living  Creature: 
"Come." 
Chap.  6. 2  Enter  a  white  horse  with  a  bow-carrying  rider 

who  is  crowned  and  rides  away  to  conquest. 
Chap.  6. 3  rphe  Lamb  opens  the  second  seal. 


THE  DRAMA  213 

Second  Living  Creature  : 

"Come." 
Enter  a  red  horse  whose  besworded  rider,  after  ci»ap  6. 4 

being    commissioned    to    break    peace    by 

slaughter,  gallops  away  to  war,  bearing  a 

great  sword. 

The  Lamb  opens  the  third  seal.  ^*p-  ^'  ^ 

Third  Living  Creature: 

"Come." 
Enter  sl  black  horse  whose  rider  carries  a 

balance. 
Voice  from  the  midst  of  the  Living  Creatures  : 

"A  measure  of  wheat  for  a  shilling,  and  ^hap.  e.  e 
three  measures  of  barley  for  a  shilling;  and 
the  oil  and  the  wine  hurt  thou  not." 

The  Lamb  opens  the  fourth  seal.  ^*p-  ^-  ^ 

Fourth  Living  Creature: 

"Come." 
Enter  sl  pale  horse  with  Death  for  a  rider,  cJ^-es 

Hades  following.     Authority  is  conferred 

to  slay  one  fourth  of  men  with  sword,  fam- 
ine, death  and  wild  beasts. 

The  Lamb  opens  the  fifth  seal.     Martyrs  chap.6.9 

emerge  from  beneath  the  altar. 
Martyrs  : 

"How  long,  O  Master,  the  holy  and  true,  dost  ^^^^-  ^  ^° 
thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them 
that  dwell  on  the  earth?" 


214      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

Chap.  6. 11         White  robes  are  given  them  and  they  are  told 

to  wait  a  little  time. 
Chap.  6. 12-14         ipijg  Lamb  opens  the  sixth  seal.    An  earth- 
quake ensues,  the  sun  becomes  black,  the 
moon  bloody,  stars  fall,  the  heavens  roll  up 
like  a  scroll,  mountains  and  islands  move 
from  their  places. 
Chap.  6. 15         Enter  cowering  kings,  princes,  captains,  rich, 
strong,   bondmen   and  freemen,   who  hide 
among  the  rocks. 
Kings,  Captains,  Princes,  etc.^  addressing  the 
mountains: 
Chap.  6. 16, 17         "Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of 
him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the 
wrath  of  the  Lamb :  for  the  great  day  of  their 
wrath  is  come;  and  who  is  able  to  stand?" 
Chap.  7. 1  Four  angels  appear  at  the  corners  of  the  earth 

having  power  over  the  winds. 

Chap.  7. 2  Enter  a  seal-bearing  Angel  from  the  sunrising. 

Seal-Bearing  Angel  to  Angels  of  the  Wind  : 

^^^p  7-  3  **Hurt  not  the  earth,  neither  the  sea,  nor 

the  trees,  till  we  have  sealed  the  servants  of 

our  God  on  their  foreheads." 

Chap.  7. 4-0        Twelve  thousand  from  each  tribe  are  sealed. 

Enter  sl  numberless  multitude  out  of  every  na- 
tion, wearing  white  robes  and  carrying 
palms  in  their  hands.  They  assemble  before 
the  throne. 


THE  DRAMA  215 

Numberless  Multitude: 

'^Salvation  unto  our  God  who  sitteth  on  the  chap.  7. 10 
throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb." 
Angels,  Elders  and  Creatures  fall  before  the  chap.  7. 11 

throne  to  worship. 
Angels,  Elders,  and  Creatures: 

"Amen :    Blessing,  and  glory,  and  wisdom,  ^^^p-  ^'  ^^ 
and  thanksgiving,  and  honor,  and  power,  and 
might,   he  unto  our  God  forever  and  ever. 
Amen." 
An  Elder  to  John  :  ^^^p-  '^-  ^^ 

^These  that  are  arrayed  in  the  white  robes, 
who  are  they,  and  whence  came  they?" 
John:  chap.  7. 14-17 

"My  Lord,  thou  knowest." 
The  Elder: 

"These  are  they  that  come  out  of  the  great 
tribulation,  and  they  washed  their  robes,  and 
made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 
Therefore  they  are  before  the  throne  of  God; 
and  they  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  tem- 
ple :  and  he  that  sitteth  on  the  throne  shall 
spread  his  tabernacle  over  them.  They  shall 
hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more; 
neither  shall  the  sun  strike  upon  them,  nor 
any  heat :  for  the  Lamb  that  is  in  the  midst  of 
the  throne  shall  be  their  shepherd,  and  shall 
guide  them  unto  fountains  of  waters  of  life; 


216      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

and  God  shall  wipe  away  everj  tear  from  their 
eyes." 
Chap.  8. 1  The  Lamb  opens  the  seventh  seal.    Silence  in 

heaven,  for  half  an  hour. 
Chap.  8. 2  Seven  throne  Angels  stand  forth  and  each  re- 

ceives a  trumpet. 
Enter  the  Angel  of  the  altar,  bearing  a  golden 
censer  and  incense. 
Chap.  8. 3-6        As  i]^Q  smoke  of  the  incense  ascends  to  heaven 
with  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  the  angel  fills 
the  empty  censer  with  fire  from  the  altar, 
and  casts  it  upon   the  earth.     Thunders, 
voices,  lightning,  and  an  earthquake  follow. 
Chap.  8. 6-12       The  sevcu  angel  Trumpeters  prepare  to  sound. 
The  First  Trumpeter  sounds : 
Hail  and  fire  mingled  with  blood  fall  upon  the 
earth.    One  third  of  the  earth,  trees,  and  grass 
is  burned. 

The  Second  Trumpeter  sounds: 
A  great  burning  mountain  is  hurled  into  the 
sea.    One  third  of  the  sea  is  turned  to  blood, 
one  third  of  marine  creatures  die  and  one 
third  of  the  ships  are  destroyed. 

The  Third  Trumpeter  sounds : 
A  great  star,  burning  as  a  torch,  falls  upon  a 
third  of  the  rivers  and  fountains  of  water,  and 
they  are  turned  to  wormwood.    Many  men  die 
from  drinking  the  water. 


THE  DBAMA  217 

The  Fourth  Trumpeter  sounds: 
One  third  of  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  are  smit- 
ten with  darkness. 

Enter  an  Eagle  flying  in  mid-heaven  ^^p-  s-  is 

Eagle  : 

"Woe,  woe,  woe,  for  them  that  dwell  on  the 
earth,  bj  reason  of  the  other  voices  of  the  trum- 
pet of  the  three  angels,  who  are  yet  to  sound/^ 

The  Fifth  Trumpeter  sounds :  chap.  9. 1-11 

A  huge  star  falls  to  the  earth.  The  star  (an- 
gel) is  given  the  key  to  the  abyss.  Smoke 
rolls  up  from  the  opened  pit  until  the  sun  is 
darkened.  Clouds  of  strange  creatures  escape 
from  the  smoke.  In  shape  they  are  like  war 
horses  with  faces  like  men,  hair  like  women, 
teeth  like  lions,  tails  like  scorpions;  the  sound 
of  their  wings  is  like  horses  rushing  to  war. 
They  wear  crowns  and  their  breastplates  are 
of  iron.  They  do  not  have  power  to  kill  or 
destroy  any  green  thing,  but  they  are  empow- 
ered to  sting  those  who  do  not  have  the  seal 
of  God  on  their  foreheads,  and  to  torment 
them  until  they  long  to  die,  but  are  unable  to 
do  so.    Abaddon  is  their  king. 

Enter  Herald 
Herald  :  ^^^p  ^  12 

"The  first  Woe  is  past :  behold,  there  come 
yet  two  Woes  hereafter." 


218       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

Chap.  9.  13  rpjjg  SiXTH  TRUMPETER  SOUnds  : 

Voice  from  the  golden  altar  to  Angel: 
Chap.  9. 14  "Loose  the  four  angels  that  are  bound  at  the 

great  river  Euphrates." 
Chap.  9. 15-21  rpjj^  Angels  being  released  summon  a  mighty 
host  of  horsemen.  The  horses  are  leonine- 
headed  and  serpent-tailed.  Fire,  smoke,  and 
brimstone  pour  from  their  mouths.  The 
riders  wear  breastplates  as  of  fire,  hyacinth, 
and  brimstone.  Two  hundred  million  of 
these  strange  horsemen  gallop  away  to  the 
slaughter  of  one  third  of  men. 

Scene  II. — The  Earth 
Chap.  10. 1-3       Enter  strong  Angel  from  heaven,  arrayed  with 
a  cloud,  turbaned  with  a  rainbow,  face  as 
the  sun,  feet  like  pillars  of  fire,  open  book 
in  hand.     He  speaks  like  a  lion,  and  the 
seven  thunders  respond  as  an  echo.     John 
is  about  to  record  what  they  said  when  a 
voice  from  heaven  intervenes. 
Voice  from  Heaven  : 
Chap.  10.4  "Seal  up  the  things  which  the  seven  thun- 

ders uttered,  and  write  them  not." 
Chap.  10. 5, 6      Angel  lifts  right  hand  to  heaven  as  a  token 
of  fealty. 
Angel  : 

"There  shall  be  delay  no  longer." 
Chap.  10. 7         Days  of  finishing  the  good  tidings. 


THE  DRAMA  219 

Voice  from  Heaven  to  John  :  c^^p  ^^- » 

"Go,  take  the  book  which  is  open  in  the  hand 
of  the  angel  that  standeth  upon  the  sea  and 
upon  the  earth." 

John  requests  the  book.  chap.  lo.  9, 10 

Angel  to  John  : 

"Take  it,  and  eat  it  up;  and  it  shall  make 
thy  belly  bitter,  but  in  thy  mouth  it  shall  be 
sweet  as  honey." 
Angel  and  Voice  to  John  : 

"Thou  must  prophesy  again  over  many  peo-  chap.  10. 11 
pies  and  nations  and  tongues  and  kings." 
A  reed  like  a  rod  is  given  to  John.  ^^^p-  "•  ^"^ 

Unknown  Speaker  to  John: 

"Rise,  and  measure  the  temple  of  God,  and 
the  altar,  and  them  that  worship  therein.  And 
the  court  which  is  without  the  temple  leave 
without,  and  measure  it  not;  for  it  hath  been 
given  unto  the  nations :  and  the  holy  city  shall 
they  tread  under  foot  forty  and  two  months. 
And  I  will  give  unto  my  two  witnesses,  and 
they  shall  prophesy  a  thousand  two  hundred 
and  three  score  days,  clothed  in  sackcloth. 
These  are  the  two  olive  trees  and  the  two  can- 
dlesticks, standing  before  the  Lord  of  the 
earth.  And  if  any  man  desireth  to  hurt  them, 
fire  proceedeth  out  of  their  mouth  and  devour- 
eth  their  enemies ;  and  if  any  man  shall  desire 
to  hurt  them,  in  this  manner  must  he  be  killed. 


220       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

These  have  the  power  to  shut  the  heaven,  that 
it  rain  not  during  the  days  of  their  prophecy : 
and  they  have  power  over  the  waters  to  turn 
them  into  blood,  and  to  smite  the  earth  with 
every  plague,  as  often  as  they  shall  desire. 
And  when  they  shall  have  finished  their  testi- 
mony, the  beast  that  cometh  up  out  of  the  abyss 
shall  make  war  with  them,  and  overcome  them, 
and  kill  them." 
Dumb  Show — 

Chap.  11. 8-11  rpjjg  prophets  are  slain  by  the  beast  from  the 

abyss.  Their  bodies  lie  unburied  for  three  and 
one  half  days.  Their  persecutors  make  merry 
and  send  gifts  to  one  another.  The  breath  of 
God  enters  the  slain  and  they  stand  upon  their 
feet. 

Chap.  11. 12        Voice  from  heaven  calling  them: 
"Come  up  hither." 
Dumb  Show — 

Chap.  11. 13  They  ascend  to  heaven.    An  earthquake  en- 

sues in  which  seven  thousand  are  slain. 

Enter  Herald 
Chap.  11. 14        Herald  : 

"The  second  Woe  is  past ;  behold,  the  third 
Woe  cometh  quickly." 

Chap.  11.  15  rjy^^   SEVENTH    TRUMPETER   SOUUdS  I 

Great  Voices  in  heaven: 

"The  kingdom  of  the  world  is  become  the 


THE  DRAMA  221 

kingdom  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ : 
and  he  shall  reign  forever  and  ever/^ 

The  twenty-four  Elders  descend  from  their  chap.  ii.  le-is 
thrones  and  fall  upon  their  faces  to  worship 
God. 

Twenty-Four  Elders: 

"We  give  thee  thanks,  O  Lord  God,  the 
Almighty,  who  art  and  who  wast ;  because 
thou  hast  taken  thy  great  power,  and  didst 
reign.  And  the  nations  were  wroth,  and 
thy  wrath  came,  and  the  time  of  the  dead 
to  be  judged,  and  the  time  to  give  their  re- 
ward to  thy  servants  the  prophets,  and  to 
the  saints,  and  to  them  that  fear  thy  name, 
the  small  and  the  great;  and  to  destroy 
them  that  destroy  the  earth." 

ACT  III 

HEAVENLY  HELP 

Scene  I.^ — The  Temple  of  God  in  Heaven  chap.  11,19 
IS  Opened 

Dumb  Show   (forecasting  in  miniature  the  chap.  12. 1-4 
outcome  of  the  remaining  episodes  of  the 
drama) — 
Enter  a  woman  nearing  the  hour  of  her  ac- 
couchement.    She  is  arrayed  with  the  sun, 


222      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

moon  is  her  footstool,  and  she  wears  a  tiara 
of  stars. 

Enter  a  great  red  dragon  with  seven  diademed 
heads  and  ten  horns,  his  huge  tail  sweeping 
one  third  of  the  stars  from  the  sky.  He  takes 
his  position  before  the  woman  ready  to  de- 
vour the  expected  child. 
Chap.  12. 5, 6  rpjjg  uewlyborn  Son  is  caught  up  to  the  throne 
of  God  for  safety.  The  mother  escapes  to 
the  earth,  where  provisions  are  made  for 
her  care. 

Chap.  12. 7-9  Enter  Michael  and  his  angels 

Enter  Satan's  angels  joining  their  leader 

The  opposing  hosts  fight,  and  the  forces  of 
Satan  are  defeated  and  cast  out  of  heaven. 
Chap.  12. 10-12    Great  Voice  in  heaven: 

*^Now  is  come  the  salvation,  and  the 
power,  and  the  kingdom  of  our  God,  and 
the  authority  of  his  Christ:  for  the  ac- 
cuser of  our  brethren  is  cast  down,  who 
accuseth  them  before  our  God  day  and 
night.  And  they  overcame  him  because  of 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  because  of  the 
word  of  their  testimony;  and  they  loved 
not  their  life  even  unto  death.  Therefore 
rejoice,  O  heavens,  and  ye  that  dwell  in 
them.    Woe  for  the  earth  and  for  the  sea : 


THE  DRAMA  223 

because  the  devil  is  gone  down  unto  you, 
having  great  wrath,  knowing  that  he  hath 
but  a  short  time." 

Scene  II. — The  Earth 

Dumb  Show — 

Finding  himself  on  the  earth,  Satan  renews  chap.  12. 13-17 
the  persecution  of  the  woman  who  had  es- 
caped him  in  heaven.  Two  wings  of  an  eagle 
are  given  her  and  she  flies  away.  Satan  casts 
a  river  of  water  after  her,  which  the  earth 
swallows.  In  fury  begotten  of  defeat  Satan 
makes  war  with  the  seed  of  the  woman. 

Enter  sl  beast  from  the  sea,  having  seven  heads  ^^*p-  ^^-  ^'^ 
and  ten  diademed  horns.  He  is  like  a 
leopard,  with  the  feet  of  a  bear,  and  the 
mouth  of  a  lion.  Authority  is  conferred 
upon  him  by  the  Devil.  One  of  his  heads 
appears  to  have  been  smitten  and  healed. 

Enter  Earthly  Hosts  who  worship  the  dragon  c^ap.  13. 4 
and  the  beast. 

Earthly  Hosts: 

"Who  is  like  unto  the  beast?  and  who  is  able 

to  war  with  him?'^ 

The  beast  is  empowered  with  authority  for  chap.  13. 5-8 
three  and  one  half  years,  and  power  is  given 
to  overcome  the  saints.    He  blasphemes  God. 


224      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

Enter  Herald 
Chap.  13. 9. 10     Herald  : 

"If  any  man  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear.  If 
any  man  is  for  captivity,  into  captivity  he 
goeth:  if  any  man  shall  kill  with  the  sword, 
with  the  sword  must  he  be  killed.  Here  is  the 
patience  and  the  faith  of  the  saints." 

Chap.  13. 11-18  Enter  a  beast  emerging  from  the  earth,  having 
two  horns  like  a  lamb  and  a  voice  like  a 
dragon.  He  is  reputed  to  be  able  to  bring 
fire  down  from  heaven,  and  was  said  to 
bestow  life  on  the  image  of  the  beast.  He 
fixes  the  death  penalty  for  noncompliance 
with  beast  worship,  and  exclusion  from  the 
marts  of  trade  for  all  who  do  not  bear  the 
"mark.'' 

Scene  III. — Mount  Zion 

Chap.  14. 1  Enter  the  Lamb  and  the  one  hundred  forty 
and  four  thousand  with  the  name  of  the 
Lamb  and  the  Father  upon  their  foreheads. 

Chap.  14. 2-5  Voice  from  heaven,  like  the  mingled  voices  of 
the  waters,  harps,  and  thunder.  They  sing 
a  new  song  which  none  but  the  one  hundred 
forty  and  four  thousand  know. 

Chap.  14. 6  ^  Flying  Angel  appears  in  mid-heaven  ready 
to  proclaim  the  gospel  to  all  the  world. 


THE  DRAMA  225 

Flying  Angel: 

^'Fear  God,  and  give  him  glory ;  for  the  hour  chap.  14. 7 
of  his  judgment  is  come :  and  worship  him  that 
made  the  heaven  and  the  earth  and  sea  and 
fountains  of  waters." 

Enter  Second  Angel 
Second  Angel: 

"Fallen,  fallen  is  Babylon  the  great,  that  chap.w.s 
hath  made  all  the  nations  to  drink  of  the  wine 
of  the  wrath  of  her  fornication." 

Enter  Third  Angel 
Third  Angel,  with  loud  voice: 

"If  any  man  worshipeth  the  beast  and  his  ^^^p-  ^*-  ^"^^ 
image,  and  receiveth  a  mark  on  his  forehead, 
or  upon  his  hand,  he  also  shall  drink  of  the 
wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  prepared 
unmixed  in  the  cup  of  his  anger ;  and  he  shall 
be  tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone  in  the 
presence  of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  presence 
of  the  Lamb :  and  the  smoke  of  their  torment 
goeth  up  forever  and  ever;  and  they  have  no 
rest  day  and  night,  they  that  worship  the  beast 
and  his  image,  and  whoso  receiveth  the  mark 
of  his  name.  Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints, 
they  that  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and 
the  faith  of  Jesus." 
Voice  from  heaven: 

"Write,  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  ^^^p-  i^-  is 


226      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

the  Lord  from  henceforth :  yea,  saith  the  Spirit, 

that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors;  for  their 

works  follow  with  them." 

Chap.  14. 14        Qjjg  i]^Q  a  son  of  man  appears,  sitting  upon  a 

white  cloud,  with  a  golden  crown  upon  his 

head  and  a  sickle  in  his  hand. 

Chap.  14. 15, 16  Enter  Angel  from  the  temple 

Angel,  to  one  sitting  on  the  cloud: 

"Send  forth  thy  sickle,  and  reap:  for  the 
hour  to  reap  is  come;  for  the  harvest  of  the 
earth  is  ripe." 
Sickle-bearing  angel  reaps. 

Chap.  14. 17. 18         Enter  Second  Angel  from  the  temple 

(Enter  Angel  of  the  altar,  having  power  over 

fire.) 
Angel  of  the  altar  to  Second  Angel  : 

"Send  forth  thy  sharp  sickle,  and  gather  the 
clusters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth ;  for  her  grapes 
are  fully  ripe." 
Chap.  14. 19, 20    The  sickle-bearing  Angel  reaps  and  the  vintage 

is  thrown  into  the  winepress  of  the  wrath  of 

God,  and  a  huge  stream  of  blood  flows  out. 

Scene  IV. — In  Heaven 

Chap.  15. 1.2  Enter  Seven  Angels  of  the  plagues.  Enter 
Kedeemed  Hosts^  victors  over  the  beast,  each 
having  a  harp  of  God.    Standing  by  the  sea 


THE  DRAMA  227 

of  glass,  they  sing  the  song  of  Moses  and 
the  Lamb. 

Redeemed  Hosts  : 

"Great  and  marvelous  are  thy  works,  O       cbap.  is.  3. 4 

Lord  God,  the  Almighty;  righteous  and 

true  are  thy  ways,  thou  king  of  the  ages. 

Who  shall  not  fear,  O  Lord,  and  glorify 

thy  name?  for  thou  only  art  holy;  for  all 

the  nations  shall  come  and  worship  before 

thee;  for  thy  righteous  acts  have  been 

made  manifest." 

The  temple  of  the  tabernacle  of  testimony  chap.  15. 5-8 
opens.  The  Seven  Angels  of  the  plagues, 
arrayed  with  garments  set  with  precious 
stones  and  wearing  golden  girdles,  emerge 
from  the  open  door.  A  Living  Creature 
gives  to  each  of  the  angels  a  golden  bowl 
filled  with  the  wrath  of  God.  God's  glory 
so  fills  the  temple  that  none  may  enter  until 
the  Seven  Angels  have  finished  their  task. 

Great  Voice  from  the  temple,  to  Seven  An-  ^^^p-  ^^-  ^ 
gels  : 
"Go  ye,  and  pour  out  the  seven  bowls  of  the 

wrath  of  God  into  the  earth." 

Scene  V. — The  Earth 

The  First  Angel  empties  his  bowl  into  the  chap.  16.2^ 
earth,  and  noisome  sores  break  out  on  all 


228      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

bearing  the  mark  of  the  beast  or  worshipiijg 
his  image. 
The  Second  Angel  empties  his  bowl  into  the 
sea,  and  it  turns  to  blood,  and  all  living 
things  in  it  die. 
caap.  16. 4  rpije  Third  Angel  empties  his  bowl  upon  the 
rivers  and  fountains  and  they  turn  to  blood. 

Chap.  16. 6,  e  Enter  Angel  of  the  Waters 

Angel  of  the  Waters: 

"Righteous  art  thou,  who  art  and  who  wast, 

thou  Holy  One,  because  thou  didst  thus  judge : 

for  they  poured  out  the  blood  of  saints  and 

prophets,  and  blood  hast  thou  given  them  to 

drink:  they  are  worthy." 

The  Altar: 
Chap.  16. 7  "Yea,  O  Lord  God,  the  Almighty,  true  and 

righteous  are  thy  judgments." 
Chap.  16. 8-14     The  Fourth  Angel  pours  the  contents  of  his 
bowl  upon  the  sun.     As  men  are  scorched 
with  the  intense  heat,  they  blaspheme  God.^ 

The  Fifth  Angel  empties  his  bowl  upon  the 
throne  of  the  beast  and  the  kingdom  is  dark- 
ened. Courtiers  gnaw  their  tongues  in  pain 
and  blaspheme  God. 

The  Sixth  Angel  pours  the  contents  of  his 
bowl  upon  the  "Euphrates,"  and  it  dries  up, 
making  way  for  the  kings  coming  from  the 

iChap.  16.  8,  21. 


THE  DRAMA  229 

sunrising.  An  unclean  spirit  creeps  from 
the  mouth  of  the  dragon  and  each  of  the  two 
beasts.  Acting  as  orderlies,  they  hurry  away 
to  summon  the  kings  of  the  world  to  battle 
at  Har-Magedon. 

Enter  Christ  c^^p-  le.  is 

Christ  : 

"Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief.    Blessed  is  he 
that  watcheth,  and  keepeth  his  garments,  lest 
he  walk  naked,  and  they  see  his  shame." 
The  armies  of  the  kings  assemble  at  Har-  chap.  le.  le 

Magedon. 
The  Seventh  Angel  pours  the  contents  of  his  ^^^^'  ^^-  ^^ 
bowl  into  the  air,  and  a  Great  Voice  sounds 
from  the  temple-throne. 
Great  Voice: 
"It  is  done." 
Lightnings,  voices,  and  thunders  follow.     A  Chap.  le.  18-21 
mighty  earthquake  ensues  and  the  cities  of 
the  nations  fall.    Babylon  is  visited  in  judg- 
ment.    Islands  flee,  mountains  disappear. 
A  terrible  hail  storm  completes  the  devasta- 
tion. 
One  of  the  Seven  Angels,  speaking  to  John  : 

"Come  hither,  I  will  show  thee  the  judgment  chap.  17. 1, 2 
of  the  great  harlot  that  sitteth  upon  many 
waters ;  with  whom  the  kings  of  the  earth  com- 
mitted fornication,  and  they  that  dwell  in  the 


230       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

earth  were  made  drunken  with  the  wine  of 
her  fornication." 

Scene  VI. — The  Wilderness 

Chap.  17.3-6       The  Angel  bears  John  away  in  the  Spirit 
into  the  Wilderness. 
Enter  a  woman;  riding  a  scarlet  beast  with 
seven    heads    and    ten    horns,    with    blas- 
phemous inscriptions  upon  it.     She  is  ar- 
rayed in  purple  and  scarlet,  decked  with 
rare  jewels,  and  bears  a  golden  cup  of  un- 
clean things  of  her  fornications.    Her  fore- 
head  bears   the  inscription,    "MYSTERY, 
BABYLON  THE  GREAT,  THE  MOTHER 
OF    THE    HARLOTS    AND     OF    THE 
ABOMINATIONS     OF     THE     EARTH." 
She  is  drunken  with  the  blood  of  the  saints. 
One  of  the  Seven  Angels  to  John  : 
Chap.  17.7-18         "Wherefore  didst  thou  wonder?    I  will  tell 
thee  the  mystery  of  the  woman,  and  of  the  beast 
that  carrieth  her,  which  hath  the  seven  heads 
and  the  ten  horns.    The  beast  that  thou  sawest 
was,  and  is  not;  and  is  about  to  come  up  out 
of  the  abyss,  and  to  go  into  perdition.     And 
they  that  dwell  on  the  earth  shall  wonder, 
they  whose  name  hath  not  been  written  in  the 
book  of  life  from  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
when  they  behold  the  beast,  how  that  he  was. 


THE  DRAMA  231 

and  is  not,  and  shall  come.  Here  is  the  mind 
that  hath  wisdom.  The  seven  heads  are  seven 
mountains,  on  which  the  woman  sitteth :  and 
they  are  seven  kings;  the  five  are  fallen,  the 
one  is,  the  other  is  not  yet  come ;  and  when  he 
Cometh,  he  must  continue  a  little  while. 

"And  the  beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  is  him- 
self also  an  eighth,  and  is  of  the  seven ;  and  he 
goeth  into  perdition.  And  the  ten  horns  that 
thou  sawest  are  ten  kings,  who  have  received 
no  kingdom  as  yet ;  but  they  receive  authority 
as  kings,  with  the  beast,  for  one  hour.  These 
have  one  mind,  and  they  give  their  power  and 
authority  unto  the  beast.  These  shall  war 
against  the  Lamb,  and  the  Lamb  shall  over- 
come them,  for  he  is  Lord  of  lords  and  King 
of  kings;  and  they  also  shall  overcome  that 
are  with  him,  called  and  chosen  and  faithful. 
.  .  .  The  waters  which  thou  sawest,  where  the 
harlot  sitteth,  are  peoples,  and  multitudes, 
and  nations,  and  tongues.  And  the  ten  horns 
which  thou  sawest,  and  the  beast,  these  shall 
hate  the  harlot,  and  shall  make  her  desolate 
and  naked,  and  shall  eat  her  flesh,  and  shall 
burn  her  utterly  with  fire.  For  God  did  put 
in  their  hearts  to  do  his  mind,  and  to  come  to 
one  mind,  and  to  give  their  kingdom  unto  the 
beast,  until  the  words  of  God  should  be  ac- 
complished.   And  the  woman  whom  thou  saw- 


232       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

est  is  the  great  city,  which  reigneth  over  the 
kings  of  the  earth." 

Chap.  18. 1-3  Enter  Angel  of  Authority 

Angel  of  Authority: 

"Fallen,  fallen  is  Babylon  the  great,  and  is 
become  a  habitation  of  demons,  and  a  hold  of 
every  unclean  spirit,  and  a  hold  of  every  un- 
clean and  hateful  bird.  For  by  the  wine  of  the 
wrath  of  her  fornication  all  the  nations  are 
fallen;  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  committed 
fornication  with  her,  and  the  merchants  of  the 
earth  waxed  rich  by  the  power  of  her  wanton- 
ness." 
Chap.  18. 4-8      Voice  from  Heaven  : 

"Come  forth,  my  people,  out  of  her,  that  ye 
have  no  fellowship  with  her  sins,  and  that  ye 
receive  not  of  her  plagues:  for  her  sins  have 
reached  even  unto  heaven,  and  God  hath  re- 
membered her  iniquities.  Eender  unto  her 
even  as  she  rendered,  and  double  unto  her  the 
double  according  to  her  works:  in  the  cup 
which  she  mingled,  mingle  unto  her  double. 
How  much  soever  she  glorified  herself,  and 
waxed  wanton,  so  much  give  her  of  torment 
and  mourning:  for  she  saith  in  her  heart,  I 
sit  a  queen,  and  am  no  widow,  and  shall  in  no 
wise  see  mourning.  Therefore  in  one  day  shall 
her  plagues  come,  death,  and  mourning,  and 


THE  DRAMA  233 

famine;  and  she  shall  be  utterly  burned  with 

fire;  for  strong  is  the  Lord  God  who  judged 

her." 

Enter  Kings  of  the  earth,  weeping  and  wailing  chap.  is.  9, 10 

Kings  of  the  Earth: 

"Woe,  woe,  the  great  city,  Babylon,  the 
strong  city !  for  in  one  hour  is  thy  judgment 
come." 

Enter  Merchants  of  the  earth  chap.  is.  11-17 

They  mourn  that  no  man  buyeth  their  mer- 
chandise any  more.    They  recount  the  wares 
they  had  sold  in  the  city,  listing  some  of  it 
by  name. 
Merchants  : 

"Woe,  woe,  the  great  city,  she  that  was  ar- 
rayed in  fine  linen  and  purple  and  scarlet,  and 
decked  with  gold  and  precious  stones  and 
pearl !  for  in  one  hour  so  great  riches  is  made 
desolate." 
Enter  Ship  Masters,  Marines,  Sailors,  etc.,  chap.  is.  is.  19 

looking  upon  the  smoke  of  her  burning 
Ship  Masters,  Marines,  etc.: 

"What  city  is  like  the  great  city  ?"  ( Lament- 
ing and  casting  dust  upon  their  heads ) .  "Woe, 
woe,  the  great  city,  wherein  all  that  had  their 
ships  in  the  sea  were  made  rich  by  reason  of 
her  costliness!  for  in  one  hour  is  she  made 
desolate." 


234      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

Chap.  18.30       Voice  from  he(wen: 

"Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven,  and  ye 
saints,  and  ye  apostles,  and  ye  prophets;  for 
God  hath  judged  your  judgment  on  her.'* 

Chap.  18. 21-24    Enter  a  Strong  Angel  who  flings  a  huge  stone 
into  the  sea 
Strong  Angel: 

"Thus  with  a  mighty  fall  shall  Babylon,  the 
great  city,  be  cast  down,  and  shall  be  found  no 
more  at  all.  And  the  voice  of  harpers  and 
minstrels  and  flute-players  and  trumpeters 
shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee ;  and  no 
craftsman,  of  whatsoever  craft,  shall  be  found 
any  more  at  all  in  thee ;  and  the  voice  of  a  mill 
shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee ;  and  the 
light  of  a  lamp  shall  shine  no  more  at  all  in 
thee;  and  the  voice  of  the  bridegroom  and  of 
the  bride  shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee : 
for  thy  merchants  were  the  princes  of  the 
earth ;  for  with  thy  sorcery  were  all  the  nations 
deceived.  And  in  her  was  found  the  blood  of 
prophets  and  of  saints,  and  of  all  that  have 
been  slain  upon  the  earth.*' 
Great  Multitude  in  hecuven: 
Chap.  19. 1-3  "Hallelujah;   salvation,   and   glory,   and 

power,  belong  to  our  God:  for  true  and 
righteous  are  his  judgments;  for  he  hath 
judged  the  great  harlot,  her  that  corrupted 


THE  DRAMA  235 

the  earth  with  her  fornication,  and  he  hath 
avenged  the  blood  of  his  servants  at  her 
hand."  (An  interval.)  ^'Hallelujah. 
And  her  smoke  goeth  up  forever  and  ever." 
Elders  and  Living  Creatures,  worshiping 
God: 
"Amen;  Hallelujah."  ciiap.i9.4 

Voice  from  the  throne: 

"Give  praise  to  our  God,  all  ye  his  servants,  ^hap.  19. 5 
ye  that  fear  him,  the  small  and  the  great." 
Voice  of  a  great  multitude,  like  the  sound  of  ^^^p-  ^^-  ^"^ 
many  waters  and  mighty  thunders: 

"Hallelujah:  for  the  Lord  our  God,  the  Al- 
mighty, reigneth.  Let  us  rejoice  and  be  ex- 
ceeding glad,  and  let  us  give  the  glory  unto 
him:  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come, 
and  his  wife  hath  made  herself  ready.  And  it 
was  given  unto  her  that  she  should  array  her- 
self in  fine  linen,  bright  and  pure :  for  the  fine 
linen  is  the  righteous  acts  of  the  saints." 
One  of  the  Seven  Angels  to  John  : 

"Write.    Blessed  are  they  that  are  bidden  to  ^^p-  ^^'  ^ 
the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb."     (An  in- 
terval. )    "These  are  true  words  of  God." 
John  falls  at  his  feet  to  worship.  ^^^-  ^^-  ^^ 

The  Angel: 

"See  thou  do  it  not:  I  am  a  fellow  servant 
with  thee  and  with  thy  brethren  that  hold  the 


236       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

testimony  of  Jesus :  worship  God :  for  the  testi- 
mony of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy." 

Scene  VII. — The  Open  Heaven 

Chap.  19. 11-16  Enter  sl  white  horse  ridden  by  the  Word  of 
God,  who  has  eyes  like  a  flame  of  fire,  wear- 
ing many  diadems,  garments  sprinkled  with 
blood,  the  inscription  "King  of  kings"  and 
*Xord  of  lords"  upon  his  thigh,  a  sword  pro- 
ceeding from  his  mouth,  his  army  following 
him  upon  white  horses  and  robed  in  white. 
Chap.  19. 17, 18    ^jj  Angel  takes  his  place  in  the  sun. 

The  Angel,  addressing  the  birds  of  heaven: 

"Come  and  be  gathered  together  unto  the 
great  supper  of  God ;  that  ye  may  eat  the  flesh 
of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of  captains,  and  the 
flesh  of  mighty  men,  and  the  flesh  of  horses  and 
of  them  that  sit  thereon,  and  the  flesh  of  all 
men,  both  free  and  bond,  and  small  and  great." 

Scene  VIII. — The  Earth 

Chap.  19. 19-21  Enter  the  beast  and  his  allies,  the  kings  of  the 
earth  and  their  armies  in  battle  array. 
Enter  the  white  robed  army  of  the  Word  of 
God  ready  for  action.  They  fight.  The 
beast  and  the  false  prophet  are  cast  alive 
into  the  lake  of  fire.     Their  army  is  slain 


THE  DRAMA  237 

by  the  sword  of  the  Word  of  God.    The  birds 
gorge  upon  their  flesh. 

Enter  the  Angel  keeper  of  the  pit,  descending  ^^*p-  ^^'  ^"^^ 
from  heaven,  having  a  key  to  the  abyss  and 
a  great  chain  in  his  hand.  He  seizes  Satan, 
binds  him  and  casts  him  into  the  abyss  to 
remain  for  a  thousand  years.  Thrones  ap- 
pear with  martyrs  sitting  upon  them  in 
judgment.  Satan,  released  from  the  abyss, 
summons  the  armies  of  Gog  and  Magog  to 
battle  in  his  behalf.  In  command  of  the 
newly-recruited  army,  he  seeks  to  encircle 
the  camp  of  the  saints,  when  fire  comes  down 
from  heaven  and  devours  them.  Satan,  be- 
ing captured,  is  cast  alive  into  the  lake  of 
fire.  The  Great  White  Throne  appears,  and 
all  men  of  all  ages  come  to  judgment,  based 
upon  the  record  of  the  book  of  life.  Death 
and  Hades  and  all  whose  names  do  not  ap- 
pear in  the  book  of  life  are  cast  into  the  lake 
of  fire. 

Scene  IX. — The  New  Heaven  and  the  New 
Earth 

The   Holy   City   is  seen   descending  out   of  chap.  21.1-4 

heaven. 
Voice  out  of  the  throne: 

"Behold,  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men, 


238       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

and  he  shall  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be 
his  peoples,  and  God  himself  shall  be  with 
them,  and  he  their  God:  and  he  shall  wipe 
away  every  tear  from  their  eyes;  and  death 
shall  be  no  more ;  neither  shall  there  be  mourn- 
ing, nor  crying,  nor  pain,  any  more :  the  first 
things  are  passed  away." 
Chap  21. 5, 6      The  Enthroned  One  : 

"Behold,  I  make  all  things  new." 
One  of  the  Seven  Angels  : 

"Write:  for  these  words  are  faithful  and 
true."  (After  a  brief  interval.)  "They  are 
come  to  pass." 

Chap.  21. 6-8  J57n^er  Christ 

Christ  : 

"I  am  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,  the  begin- 
ning and  the  end.  I  will  give  unto  him  that  is 
athirst  of  the  fountain  of  the  water  of  life 
freely.  He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  these 
things ;  and  I  will  be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be 
my  son.  But  for  the  fearful,  and  unbelieving, 
and  abominable,  and  murderers,  and  fornica- 
tors, and  sorcerers,  and  idolaters,  and  all  liars, 
their  part  shall  he  in  the  lake  that  burneth  with 
fire  and  brimstone ;  which  is  the  second  death." 

Chap.  21. 9         Angel  : 

"Come  hither,  I  will  show  thee  the  bride, 
the  wife  of  the  Lamb." 


THE  DRAMA  239 

Scene  X. — A  High  Mountain 

John  is  carried  away  in  the  Spirit  to  a  great  Chap.  21. 10 
high  mountain,  to  see  the  Holy  City  descend 
from  heaven.  The  Holy  City  descends.  In 
form  it  is  a  cube.  The  wall  is  jasper,  the  Chap.  21. 11-27 
city  pure  gold.  There  are  twelve  gates  of 
pearl,  three  on  each  side.  The  name  of  a 
tribe  of  Israel  is  inscribed  upon  each  and  a 
guardian  angel  stands  beside  it. 

The  foundation  is  in  twelve  courses  and  each 
is  adorned  with  a  precious  stone  bearing  the 
name  of  an  apostle  of  the  Lamb.  The  suf- 
fused radiance  of  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
Lamb  is  the  Light.  Its  gates  stand  open  day 
and  night,  and  only  the  redeemed  may  enter. 
The  river  of  the  water  of  life  flows  from  the  ^^^-  ^-  ^'^ 
throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb.  Trees  of  life 
grow  upon  both  banks,  bearing  fruit  every 
month,  its  leaves  for  the  healing  of  the  na- 
tions. 

Curses  are  past,  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the 
Lamb  is  established.  Christ^s  followers 
shall  see  his  face.  Night  is  gone  and  the 
day  of  saintly  regnancy  is  dawning. 

One  of  the  Seven  Angels  to  John  :  ^^p-  22-  6 

"These  words  are  faithful  and  true :  and  the 

Lord,  the  God  of  the  spirits  of  the  prophets, 


240      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

sent  his  angel  to  show  unto  Ms  servants  the 
things  which  must  shortly  come  to  pass." 

Enter  Christ 
Chap.  22. 7         Christ  : 

"And  behold,  I  come  quickly.     Blessed  is 
he  that  keepeth  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of 
this  book."    [Exit  Christ.] 
Chap.  22. 8         John  falls  at  the  feet  of  the  Angel  to  worship 
him. 

Chap.  22.  9  r[.jjj,   ANGEL  ! 

"See  thou  do  it  not :    I  am  a  fellow  servant 
with  thee  and  with  thy  brethren  the  prophets, 
and  with  them  that  keep  the  words  of  this 
book :  worship  God.'' 
John  arises. 

Chap.  22.  10. 11       rpjjg   ANGEL  : 

"Seal  not  up  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of 
this  book ;  for  the  time  is  at  hand.  He  that  is 
unrighteous,  let  him  do  unrighteousness  still : 
and  he  that  is  filthy,  let  him  be  made  filthy 
still:  and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him  do 
righteousness  still:  and  he  that  is  holy,  let 
him  be  made  holy  still." 

Enter  Christ 

Chap.  22.  12-16       ^hRIST  : 

"Behold,  I  come  quickly ;  and  my  reward  is 
with  me,  to  render  to  each  man  according  as 


THE  DRAMA  241 

his  work  is.  I  am  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega, 
the  first  and  the  last,  the  beginning  and  the 
end.  Blessed  are  they  that  wash  their  robes, 
that  they  may  have  the  right  to  come  to  the 
tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  by  the  gates  into 
the  city.  Without  are  the  dogs,  and  the  sor- 
cerers, and  the  fornicators,  and  the  murder- 
ers, and  the  idolaters,  and  every  one  that  lov- 
eth  and  maketh  a  lie. 

"I  Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel  to  testify 
unto  you  these  things  for  the  churches.  I  am 
the  root  and  offspring  of  David,  the  bright,  the 
morning  star." 

The  Spirit  and  the  Bride  (The  city  by  its  chap.22. 17 
open  gates)  : 

"Come.    And  he  that  heareth,  let  him  say. 
Come.    And  he  that  is  athirst,  let  him  come : 
he  that  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life 
freely." 
Christ  :  chap.  22. 18-20 

"I  testify  unto  every  man  that  heareth  the 
words  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book.  If  any 
man  shall  add  unto  them,  God  shall  add  unto 
him  the  plagues  which  are  written  in  this  book : 
and  if  any  man  shall  take  away  from  the  words 
of  the  book  of  this  prophecy,  God  shall  take 
away  his  part  from  the  tree  of  life,  and  out  of 
the  holy  city,  which  are  written  in  this  book." 
(An  interval.)     "Yea:  I  come  quickly." 


242      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

John: 

"Amen :  come,  Lord  Jesus." 

Chap.  22. 21  Benediction 

"The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  be  with  the 
saints.    Amen." 


APPENDICES 

APPENDIX  I 

A  Brief  List  of  References  from  the  Old 
Testament  with  the  Corresponding 
Verses  from  the  Apocalypse  Showing 
Some  of  the  Sources  from  which  the 
Author  of  the  Apocalypse  Drew  Much 
Valuable  Material. 

Zechariah 

Note  the  striking  similarity  between  the 
"two  olive  trees''  of  Zech.  4.  11,  13  and  Rev. 
11.  3,  4,  "the  man  with  a  measuring  line  in 
his  hand,"  of  Zech.  2.  1  and  Rev.  11.  1.  Red, 
white,  black,  and  grizzled  horses  may  be  found 
in  Zech.  6.  2, 3  and  a  red,  white,  black,  and  pale 
horse  may  be  found  in  Rev.  6.  2-9. 

Daniel 

Compare  Dan.  7.  9-10  with  Rev.  20.  11,  12; 
Dan.  7. 13  with  Rev.  1.  7 ;  Dan.  7.  27  with  Rev. 
11.  15;  and  it  will  be  readily  seen  that  the 
shadow  of  one  is  projected  into  the  other.  The 
"thousands  of  thousands  and  ten  thousand 
times  ten  thousand"  of  Dan.  7.  10  are  repro- 
243 


244      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

duced  in  Rev.  5.  11.  The  burned  body  of  the 
slain  beast  found  in  Dan.  7.  11  is  the  precursor 
of  Rev.  19.  20.  "Four  winds  of  heaven'^  blew 
upon  the  sea  in  Dan.  7.  2  and  "four  winds"  of 
the  earth  are  kept  from  blowing  upon  the  sea 
in  Rev.  7.  1.  Three  beasts,  one  like  a  lion,  an- 
other like  a  bear,  and  one  like  a  leopard,  came 
up  from  the  sea  in  Dan.  7.  4,  5,  6  and  a  beast 
like  a  leopard,  with  a  mouth  like  a  lion  and 
feet  like  a  bear  came  up  out  of  the  sea  in  Rev. 
13.  1,  2.  Saints  are  enthroned  in  both  books. 
Dan.  7.  18,  22 ;  Rev.  20.  4-6.  "Ten  horns''  sym- 
bolize  "ten  kings"  in  both  books.  Dan.  7.  24 ; 
Rev.  17.  12.  The  stout  horn  of  the  ten-horned 
beast  in  Daniel  "made  war  with  the  saints  and 
prevailed  against  them."  Power  was  given  to 
the  ten-horned  beast  in  Revelation  "to  make 
war  against  the  saints,  and  to  overcome  them." 
Dan.  7.  21 ;  Rev.  13.  7.  Everlasting  dominion 
and  glory  were  given  to  the  son  of  man  in 
Daniel  and  "glory  and  dominion  forever  and 
ever"  were  bestowed  upon  him  in  Revelation. 
Dan.  7.  13,  14;  Rev.  1.  6,  7.  One  with  "eyes 
as  flaming  torches"  and  "feet  like  unto  bur- 
nished brass"  and  a  voice  like  the  "voice  of  a 
multitude"  appeared  in  Daniel,  and  one  with 
"eyes  as  a  flame  of  fire  and  his  feet  like  unto 
burnished  brass"  with  a  voice  as  the  "voice  of 
many  waters"  in  Revelation.    Dan.  10.  6;  Rev. 


APPENDIX  I  245 

1.  14,  15.  Michael  was  described  by  Daniel 
as  "the  great  prince  who  standeth  for  the  chil- 
dren of  thy  people,"  while  Michael  and  his 
angels  fought  against  the  dragon,  the  enemy  of 
God's  children,  and  overcame  him  in  Revela- 
tion. Dan.  12.  1 ;  Rev.  12.  7.  "One  like  unto 
a  son  of  man"  appeared  in  the  "clouds  of 
heaven"  in  Daniel  and  one  "like  unto  a  son  of 
man"  appeared,  sitting  on  a  w^hite  cloud,  in 
Revelation.    Dan.  7.  13;  Rev.  14.  14. 

EZEKIEL 

Ezekiel  had  a  vision  of  "four  living  crea- 
tures," with  faces  like  the  "face  of  an  eagle," 
the  "face  of  a  man,"  the  "face  of  a  lion,"  the 
"face  of  an  ox."  John  also  had  a  vision  of 
"four  living  creatures/'  one  "like  a  lion,"  one 
"like  a  calf,"  one  had  a  "face  as  of  a  man,"  and 
one  was  "like  a  flying  eagle."  Ezek.  1.  5,  10 ; 
Rev.  4.  6,  7.  Both  Ezekiel  and  John  were 
taken  up  into  a  "high  mountain"  for  a  vision. 
Ezek.  40.  2;  Rev.  21.  10.  Each  of  them  saw  a 
city  and  a  man  with  a  measuring  reed  to  meas- 
ure it.  Ezek.  42. 15-19;  Rev.  21. 15.  Each  city 
was  "four  square,"  Ezek.  42.  20 ;  Rev.  21.  16. 
Both  cities  had  three  gates  on  each  of  its  four 
sides  and  each  gate  was  named  after  one  of  the 
twelve  tribes.  Ezek.  48.  30-34 ;  Rev.  21.  12,  13. 
The  armies  of  dry  bones  in  Ezekiel  "lived  and 


246       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

stood  upon  their  feet"  after  the  "breath  of 
God"  came  into  them.  The  slain  prophets  in 
Revelation  "stood  upon  their  feet"  after  "the 
breath  of  life  from  God  entered  into  them." 
Ezek.  37.  10 ;  Rev.  11.  11.  Waters  issued  from 
the  threshold  of  the  sanctuary  in  Ezekiel  and 
a  "river  of  water  of  life"  was  seen  "proceeding 
out  of  the  throne  of  God"  in  Revelation.  Ezek. 
47.  1,  2;  Rev.  22.  1.  "Every  tree  for  food" 
grew  upon  a  river  bank  in  Ezekiel,  yielding 
"new  fruit  every  month"  and  the  "leaf  for 
healing."  "Trees  of  life'^  grew  upon  both 
banks  of  the  river  "yielding  its  fruit  every 
month"  and  its  leaves  were  "for  the  healing 
of  the  nations."    Ezek.  47.  12;  Rev.  22.  2. 

Birds  were  invited  to  a  banquet  of  the  flesh 
of  horses  and  mighty  men  in  Ezekiel  and  "all 
the  birds  that  fly  in  mid  heaven"  were  invited 
to  eat  the  flesh  of  kings  and  captains,  horses 
and  mighty  men  in  Revelation.  Ezek.  39.  17- 
19.  Rev.  19.  17-18.  God  told  Ezekiel,  "My 
tabernacle  shall  also  be  with  them ;  and  I  will 
be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people." 
In  Revelation  a  voice  from  the  throne  pro- 
claimed, "The  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men, 
and  he  shall  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall 
be  his  peoples."  Ezek.  37.  27 ;  Rev.  2L  3.  Sym- 
pathizers with  God's  purpose  in  Ezekiel  were 
"marked"  in  the  forehead.    Those  not  receiving 


APPENDIX  I  247 

the  "mark''  were  to  be  slain.  In  Revelation 
sympathizers  with  the  Roman  goyemment 
were  "marked"  in  the  forehead.  Many  who 
refused  the  "mark"  were  slain.  Ezek.  9.  4,  5 ; 
Rev.  20.  4.  Ezekiel  announced  that  God 
would  slay  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  with  the 
sword,  famine,  beasts,  and  pestilence.  In 
Revelation  authority  was  given  to  slay  one 
fourth  of  men  with  sword,  famine,  beasts,  and 
pestilence.  Ezek.  14-21 ;  Rev.  6.  8.  According 
to  Ezekiel,  God  was  to  come  to  the  relief  of  a 
distressed  people  with  a  "voice  like  the  sound 
of  many  waters";  according  to  Revelation 
Christ  came  to  the  relief  of  his  distressed  peo- 
ple with  a  "voice  as  the  voice  of  many  waters." 
Ezek.  43.  2 ;  Rev.  1. 15.  Ezekiel  ate  a  roll  of  a 
book  and  declared  "it  was  in  my  mouth 
honey  for  sweetness."  John  ate  a  roll  of  a 
book  and  declared  "it  was  in  my  mouth  as 
sweet  as  honey."  Ezek.  3.  3;  Rev.  10.  10. 
There  was  a  denunciation  of  godless  Tyre  in 
Ezekiel  and  a  list  of  wares  sold  in  her  markets. 
There  is  also  a  merchandise  list  in  Revelation, 
and  sixteen  of  the  articles  are  identical  in  the 
two.  Ezek.  27;  Rev.  18.  There  is  a  list  of 
precious  stones  in  both  books.  Ezek.  28.  13 ; 
Rev.  21. 19-20.  God  called  both  cities  to  judg- 
ment. Ezek.  28.  26;  Rev.  18.  20.  Seagoing 
folks  bewailed  the  fate  of  both  cities  and  cast 


248       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

dust  on  their  heads.  Ezek.  27.  27-33;  Rev. 
18.  17-20.  Harpers  and  singers  were  silenced 
in  both  cities.    Ezek.  26.  13;  Rev.  18.  22. 

Jeremiah 

"True  and  faithful  witness"  is  applied  to 
God  in  Jeremiah  and  "faithful  and  true  wit- 
ness" is  applied  to  Christ  in  Revelation.  Jer. 
42.  5;  Rev.  3.  14.  Jehovah  is  the  "fountain  of 
living  waters"  in  Jeremiah  and  Christ  shall 
guide  unto  the  "fountains  of  waters  of  life" 
in  Revelation.  Jer.  17.  13 ;  Rev.  7.  17.  After 
reading  Jeremiah  15.  2,  3,  can  any  thoughtful 
person  doubt  that  the  author  of  Revelation 
was  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  excerpt  from 
that  book  when  he  wrote  Revelation  13.  10? 
Observe  the  striking  similarity  between  the 
words  of  Jeremiah  in  Chapter  51,  verses  7,  8 
and  Revelation  Chapter  14,  verse  8.  There  can 
be  no  doubt  of  the  intimacy  of  relationship 
between  the  "golden  cup"  of  Jeremiah  and  the 
"golden  cup"  of  Revelation.    Jer.  51.  7;  Rev. 

17.  4.  "The  cup  of  the  wine"  of  God's  "wrath" 
is  featured  in  both  books.  Jer.  25.  15;  Rev. 
16.  19.  Witness  the  likeness  of  Jeremiah, 
Chapter  25,  verse  10  to  Revelation,  Chapter 

18,  verses  22,  23,  in  which  the  voice  of  the 
"bridegroom  and  the  voice  of  the  bride,"  "the 
sound  of  the  millstones,"  and  the  "light  of  the 


APPENDIX  I  249 

lamp"  are  repeated  in  the  second  with  a  richer 
dramatic  touch  than  in  the  first. 

Joel 

The  sun,  moon,  and  stars  are  touched  with 
darkness  in  Joel  and  in  Revelation.  Joel  3. 
15;  2.  10;  Rev.  8.  12.  Locust  armies  appear 
in  both  books,  and  their  appearance  is  likened 
to  that  of  horses  in  each  and  the  sound  of  their 
wings  like  the  noise  of  moving  chariots.  Joel 
2.  4,  5;  Rev.  9.  7,  9.  The  sickle  which  reaps 
both  the  harvest  of  wheat  and  the  vintage  of 
the  grapes  in  Joel  is  easily  the  prototype  of 
the  sickle-bearing  angels  of  Revelation  who 
reap  harvest  and  vintage.  Joel  3.  13;  Rev. 
14.  15-20. 

Isaiah 

Isaiah  saw  the  seraphim,  before  the  throne 
of  God,  each  having  six  wings  and  crying, 
"Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  Jehovah  of  hosts.''  John 
saw  "four  living  creatures"  round  about  the 
throne  of  God,  each  having  six  wings  and  cry- 
ing incessantly,  "Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord 
God  the  Almighty."  Isa.  6.  2;  Rev.  4.  8.  The 
sealed  book  which  Isaiah  saw  which  none 
could  open  is  easily  the  prototype  of  the  "book 
close  sealed"  on  the  back  "with  seven  seals" 
which  John  saw  and  which  no  one  could  open 


250      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

but  the  Lamb  of  God.  Isa.  29.  11 ;  Rev.  5.  2-4. 
Isaiah's  "lamb  that  is  led  to  the  slaughter,"  in 
preview  of  the  death  of  Christ,  in  postcruci- 
fixion  view  is  easily  the  "lamb  standing  as 
though  it  had  been  slain,"  in  the  Apocalypse. 
Isa.  53.  7;  Rev.  5.  6.  Isaiah's  graphic  sketch 
of  haughty  sinners  hiding  in  the  "rocks"  and 
"caves"  and  "holes"  was  probably  the  under- 
study for  John's  master  picture  of  kings, 
princes,  and  captains  hiding  themselves  in  the 
rocks  and  caves.  Isa.  2.  19;  Rev.  6.  15,  16. 
The  shepherd  picture  of  Isaiah  with  its  food, 
water  and  shelter,  was  easily  developed  into 
the  heart-comforting  scene  suggested  in  Reve- 
lation with  Christ  as  the  Shepherd,  to  which 
John  only  needed  to  add,  "Jehovah  will  wipe 
away  tears  from  off  all  faces,"  direct  from 
Isa.  25.  8,  to  complete  the  picture.  Isa.  49. 10 ; 
Rev.  7.  16,  17. 

Exodus 

There  were  twelve  stones  in  the  priestly 
breastplate  of  Exodus  and  twelve  layers  of 
stones  in  the  foundation  walls  of  the  Holy  City 
in  Revelation.  Exod.  28.  21 ;  Rev.  21.  14.  In 
Exodus  each  of  the  twelve  stones  had  the  name 
of  one  of  the  twelve  tribes  graven  upon  it. 
In  Revelation  each  one  of  the  twelve  layers  in 
the  foundation  bore  the  name  of  one  of  "the 


APPENDIX  I  251 

twelve  Apostles  of  the  Lamb."  Exod.  28.  21 ; 
Rev.  21.  14.  The  setting  of  the  stones  in 
Exodus  was  "four  square."  The  city  "lieth 
four  square"  in  Revelation.  Exod.  28.  16; 
Rev.  21.  16.  The  idea  of  twelve  stones  which 
adorned  the  foundation  wall  of  the  Holy  City 
was  probably  suggested  by  the  twelve  precious 
stones  in  the  priestly  breastplate  and  now  be- 
lieved by  many  scholars  to  be  identical,  though 
not  given  in  the  same  order  nor  under  the  same 
name.  Exod.  28.  17-20 ;  Rev.  21.  19,  20.  The 
"white  stone"  of  Revelation  was  probably  sug- 
gested by  the  two  onyx  stones  which  were 
placed  upon  the  shoulder  piece  of  the  priestly 
ephod  and  upon  each  of  which  six  names  of 
the  twelve  tribes  were  engraved.  Exod.  28.  9 ; 
Rev.  2.  17.  In  Exodus  God  was  represented 
as  bearing  his  people  out  of  bondage  on 
"eagle's  wings."  In  Revelation  the  woman  in 
trouble  was  given  the  "two  wings  of  the  great 
eagle."  Exod.  19.  4 ;  Rev.  12.  14.  In  Exodus, 
God's  people  were  promised  they  should  be  a 
"kingdom  of  priests."  They  are  made  a  "king- 
dom and  priests"  in  Revelation.  Exod.  19.  6 ; 
Rev.  5. 10.  Plagues  were  sent  upon  the  oppres- 
sors in  the  days  of  Egyptian  bondage.  Like 
plagues  are  evident  in  the  Apocalypse.  Water 
was  turned  to  blood  in  both  books.  Exod.  7. 
20 ;  Rev.  16.  4,  5.     Frogs  appeared  in  both 


252       THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

books,  except  that  they  came  in  the  form  of  un- 
clean spirits  in  the  Apocalypse.  Exod.  8.  6; 
Kev.  16. 13, 14.  The  boils  and  blains  of  Exodus 
are,  by  good  authority,  fairly  matched  by  the 
^^noisome  and  grievous  sore  of  the  men"  in 
Kevelation.  Exod.  9.  8-11;  Rev.  16.  2.  Hail 
and  fire  were  mingled  together  in  each  book. 
Exod.  9.  24 ;  Rev.  8.  7.  Locusts  came  with  af- 
flicting power  in  both  books.  Exod.  10.  14; 
Rev.  9.  3-11.  There  was  a  plague  of  darkness 
in  each  book.    Exod.  10.  21;  Rev.  9.  1,  2. 

Job 

As  the  drama  of  Job  sought  to  shed  light  on 
the  problem  of  human  suffering,  so  the  purpose 
of  the  book  of  Revelation  is  to  bring  comfort 
to  men  and  women  in  inescapable  suffering. 
Suggestive  parallels  are  found  in  the  two 
books.  There  is  an  "Abaddon"  in  Job  and  one 
in  Revelation.  Job  26.  6 ;  Rev.  9.  11.  A  man 
child  was  conceived  in  Job  and  one  was  born 
in  Revelation.  Job  3.  3;  Rev.  12.  5.  Satan 
is  an  "accuser"  in  each  book.  Job  1.  9;  Rev. 
12.  10.  Satan  was  the  cause  of  affliction  in 
one  book  and  of  persecution  in  the  other.  Job 
2.  7;  Rev.  12.  12,  13.  Each  book  has  a  sea 
beast  and  a  land  beast.  Job  41.  31 ;  Rev.  13.  1 ; 
Job  40.  15;  Rev.  13.  IL 


APPENDIX  II 

The  following  brief  list  of  suggestive  words 
is  here  given  as  addenda  to  Chapter  II.  It  is 
in  no  sense  even  an  attempt  at  an  exhaustive 
list  but  given  only  as  an  illustration  of  what 
can  be  done. 

Animals:  Lion,  leopard,  bear,  dog,  frog, 
eagle,  scorpion,  locust,  horse,  bird,  fish,  calf, 
sheep,  cattle,  marine  creatures. 

Colors:  Red,  black,  white,  scarlet,  purple, 
and  pale. 

Desired  Things:  Honor,  power,  glory,  vic- 
tory. 

Directions:    East,  west,  north,  south. 

Family:    Father,  mother,  child. 

Human  body:  Eye,  ear,  face,  flesh,  fore- 
head, hand,  foot,  hair,  blood,  mouth,  teeth, 
thigh,  tongue. 

Implements:  Reed,  bed,  bow,  rod,  chain, 
cage,  bridle,  furnace,  cup,  millstone,  idol, 
sickle,  trumpet,  bowl,  wine  press,  key,  potters^ 
vessel. 

Man:  Prophet,  priest,  master,  slave,  bride- 
groom, freeman,  captain,  king,  prince,  mariner, 
253 


254      THE  LION  AND  THE  LAMB 

shipmaster,  apostle,  brother,  father,  husband, 
son,  craftsman,  fellow  servant. 

Merchandise:  Linen,  purple,  scarlet,  silk, 
thyine  woods,  ivory,  marble,  cinnamon,  spice, 
oil,  ointment,  eye-salve,  wine,  barley,  flour, 
wheat,  precious  stones. 

Metals:    Brass,  iron,  silver,  gold. 

Music:  Harps,  harpers,  singing,  minstrels, 
flute-players,  trumpeters. 

Money:    Shilling,  penny,  talent. 

Nature:  Lake,  cloud,  rain,  rainbow,  dust, 
earthquake,  earth,  sea,  river,  snow,  fire,  water, 
smoke,  light,  darkness,  thunder,  lightning, 
sand,  hail,  sun,  moon,  stars,  wind. 

Precious  Stones:  Amethyst,  beryl,  chryso- 
lite, chrysoprasus,  emerald,  jacinth,  jasper, 
pearl,  sapphire,  sardine,  sardius,  sardonyx, 
topaz. 

Religion:  Altar,  temple,  priest,  lamb, 
trumpet,  bowls,  candlestick,  incense,  praise, 
prayers,  first-fruits,  worship,  censer,  ark,  sac- 
rifice, church,  synagogue,  tabernacle,  ark,  hell, 
heaven,  elders. 

Shipping:  Sea,  ships,  ship-master,  mariner, 
"every  one  that  saileth  any  whither,"  as  "many 
as  gain  their  living  by  the  sea." 

Sins:  Adultery,  blasphemy,  idolatry,  lying, 
murder,  hate,  theft,  whoremastery,  harlotry, 
drunkenness. 


APPENDIX  II  255 

State:  King,  prince,  throne,  crown,  king- 
dom, lord. 

Time:    Hour,  day,  month,  year. 

Undesired  Things:  Plagues,  famine,  pesti- 
lence, death,  sorrow,  tears,  suffering,  torment, 
pain. 

War:  Sword,  army,  captain,  chariot,  breast- 
plate, horsemen,  battle. 

Woman:  Woman,  wife,  mother,  widow, 
bride,  queen,  prophetess,  harlot 


INDEX 


Abaddon,  217,  252 

Abel,  93 

Abraham,  122 

Accuser,  the,  252 

^schylus,  64 

Ahab,  118 

Ahaziah,    118 

Ajalon,  109 

Alpha,  81 

Altar.    Angel    of    (Ch.    8, 

5),  216,  226 
Altar,  the  speaking,  228 
Altar,  voice  from,  107 
Angel,  the  announcing,  222 
Angel,    the,   of    authority, 

232 
Angel,  censer  bearing,  216 
Angel,  of  fire,   226 
Angel,  the  flying,  225 
Angel,    guardians    of    the 

gates,  239 
Angel,  herald,  211 
Angel,  keeper  of  the  pit, 

131,  237 
Angel,  in  mid-heaven,  225 
Angel,  orderly,  129,  226 
Angel,  seal-bearing,  214 
Angel,  second,   225 
Angel,    sickle-bearing,   226 
Angel,  strong,  211,  234 
Angel,  in  the  sun,  236 
Angel,  of  the  temple,  226 
Angel,  third,  225 
Angel,  of  the  uplifted  hand, 

218 
Angel,  of  the  waters,  228 
Angel,  of  the  winds,  214 
Angels,  212 
Angels,  book  of,  100 
Angels,  holy,  199,  225 


Angels,  of  the  bowl,  47, 
226;  power  of,  103 

Angels,  at  church  doors, 
101 

Angels,  and  fire,  101 

Angels,  four  bound  at 
Euphrates,  218 

Angels,  in  New  Testament, 
100;  in  Old  Testament, 
100 

Angels,  power  of,  100 

Angels,  of  the  red  dragon, 
123,  222 

Angels,  seven  trumpeter, 
172 

Angels,  the  throne,  215 

Angels,  twelve  legions  and 
Christ,  177;  the  Apoca- 
lypse, 178 

Angels,  and  the  wind,  101 

Anna,  166 

Antiochus  IV,  30 

Antipas,  76,  119 

Antoninus,  78 

Apocalypse,  not  an  enigma, 
59;  the  fighting  book, 
116 

Apocalypse,  and  John  the 
Baptist,  193 ;  meaning 
of,  56 

Apocalypse,  need  of  the 
hour,  50;  and  New  Testa- 
ment, 56;  poetical  qual- 
ity of,  59 

Apocalypse,  prophetic  but 
not  predictive,  49;  and 
redemption,  168 

Apocalyptist,  the  real,  57 

Apostles,  234;  of  the  Lamb, 
184 


257 


258 


INDEX 


Aristotle,  64 

Army,  the  Roman,  123 

Army,  the  white  clad,  156; 

riding  white  horses,  129 ; 

of  heaven,  236 
Asia,  western,  30 
Atonement,  166 
Augustus,  30 
Authority,    of   beast   from 

dragon,  99 
Authorship,  of  Revelation, 

23 

Baal,  118,  126 

"Babylon,"  74;  fallen, 
fallen,  127;  a,  Rome,  184 

Bacchus,  64 

Beast,  diadems  on  horns, 
124;  the  earth-born,  224, 
125;  the  mark  of,  127; 
number  of,  125;  the  scar- 
let, 230;  the  sea-bom, 
223,  42,  124;  the  wild, 
148;   worshipers  of,  127 

Beginning  and  end,  45 

Benediction,  242 

Bible,  the  record  of  moral 
effort,  93;  the  book  of 
redemption,  163 

Birds,  of  heaven,  129,  236 

Blains  and  boils,  111 

Blasphemers  (two groups), 
228 

Bondmen,  214 

Book,  the,  of  life,  143,  169 

Bowls,  the  golden,  69 

Boycott,  the,  35 

Bride,  and  bridegroom,  234 

Bush,  the  burning,  122 

Brute  force,  rejected  by 
Christ,  181 

Caesar,  Julius,  30 
Cain,  93 
Caligula,  72 
Calvary,  137 


Calvin,  60 

Calvinism,  72 

Candlestick,  the  seven 
branched,  69 

Captains,  rich  and  strong, 
214 

Case,  S.  J.,  50 

Chariots,  117;  of  God,  91 

Charles,  R.  H.,  39,  79,  124, 
125 

Cherubim,  142 

Child,  the  newly  bom,  222 

Chorus,  the  chanting,  106; 
of  creatures  and  elders, 
211;  the  dramatic,  82; 
and  victory,  144;  of  vic- 
torious hosts,  226;  of 
virgins,  224 

Christ,  202;  the  Alpha  and 
Omega,  81;  the  appear- 
ance of,  81;  the  choice 
of,  95;  the  conqueror  of 
death,  150;  disguised 
method  of  teaching,  64; 
enthroned,  192;  the 
entry  of,  229;  the  keys 
of  death,  150;  the  King 
of  Kings,  129;  the  Lamb 
of  God,  167;  the  Living 
one,  149;  messages  of, 
203;  and  moral  power, 
96;  the  names  of,  187; 
the  overcomer,  150;  be- 
fore Pilate,  77;  and 
Pilate,  96;  the  purpose 
of  coming,  153;  the  re- 
deeming, 133;  the  re- 
deeming Lamb,  170;  re- 
jected because  un-lion- 
like,  178;  his  relation  to 
salvation,  168;  the  Son 
of  God,  206;  the  teacher- 
preacher,  95;  the  temp- 
tation of,  94;  the  tri- 
umph of,  152;  supreme 
victor,     158;     why     re- 


INDEX 


259 


jected,   178;    method    of 
program,  96 

Christian  morale,  112 

Christian,  persecution  of, 
33 

Cities,  holy  and  unholy, 
184;  the  oppugnant,  182; 
the  seven,  27;  the  two  a 
summary  of  the  pag- 
eant, 183 ;  and  two  wo- 
men, 183;  the  holy  the 
Lamb's  wife,  183 

City,  of  redemption  of  sin, 
184;  of  sin  replaced  hy 
the  city  of  redemption, 
185;  the  templed,  186; 
the  templeless,  186;  the 
unholy  fall  of,  128;  the 
unholy  a  harlot,  184 

Clarke,  Adam,  60,  125 

Claudius,  70 

Comfort,  69 

Conflict,  the,  115;  age  old, 
115;  cessation  of,  130; 
earthwide,  130;  in  hea- 
ven, 121;  lull  in,  130; 
opening  scene  of,  121; 
preparation  for,  119;  the 
real,  120;  and  Satan, 
124;  vocabulary  of,  119 

Courtiers,  blaspheming, 
(Rev.  16.  10),  228 

Creatures,  four  living,  210, 
212;  and  elders,  211; 
the  living,  105 

Crown,  Domitian's  gift  to 
Dacians,  78;  of  life,  142; 
Philadelphian  church, 
78;  woman's  starry,  79; 
of  thorns  and  diadems, 
79 

Crowns,  78 

Crucifixion,  the,  109 

Dacians,  74;  victory  of,  29 
Daniel,  38 


Danube  river,  74 

Death  and  defeat,  146;  the 
second,  147 

Deborah,  110 

Deity,  names  of,  32 

Description  and  speech,  56 

Devil  and  Satan,  122 

Devour,  133,  153 

Domitian,  30;  crown  of, 
78;  "Lord  and  God,"  31;' 
his  borrowed  throne,  77 

Dragon,  the,  42;  diademed 
heads,  79;  the  red,  121, 
124,  222;  woman  and 
child,  122 

Drama,  the,  and  action,  69; 
and  actors,  85;  and 
cryptic  utterance,  64; 
and  chorus,  82;  a  flex- 
ible form,  62,  63;  the 
Greek,  64,  83;  and 
morale,  62;  opening 
scene  of,  141;  the  real, 
86,  55;  reproduction  of, 
197;  Romans  unskilled 
in,  63;  and  rumor,  68; 
three  fold  requirement, 
65,  66;  the  Shakespear- 
ean, 85 ;  a  vehicle  of  reli- 
gious teaching,  64 

Dramatic,  form  adapted  to 
need,  63 

Dramatis  Personse,  198,  85 

Druids,  the,  32 

Dumb  show,  153,  223,  220, 
221 

Eagle,  217;   a  flying,  210; 

wings  of,  123,  199 
Earthquake,  108 
Eden,  137;   garden  of,  142 
Edersheim,  122 
Egypt,  plagues  of.  111 
Elder,  211 
Elders,     twenty-four,     77, 

211 


260 


INDEX 


Elias,  91 

Elijah,  109,  118,  126 

Emperor  worship,  30 

Enthroned,  the  one,  211, 
238 

Entry,  triumphal,  146 

Ephesus,  30;  John's  resi- 
dence, 141;  message  to, 
204 

Esau,  99 

Euphrates,  74,  228 

Eusebius,   27 

Every  created  thing,  105, 
212 

Evil,  forces  of,  198;  intro- 
duction into  world,  138; 
not  minimized,  98 

Exodus,  250 

Ezekiel,  38,  130,  132,  141 

Famine,  147 

Fatalism,  125 

Fire,  defiance  of  the  basis 
of  victory,  177;  and  hail, 
110;  slaughter  by,  133 

Force,  brute,  124;  and  Ro- 
man Empire,  182 

Forces  of  nature,  in  Old 
Testament  and  New 
Testament,  109;  natural 
power  of,  107 

Form,  fundamental,  55 

Freemen,  214 

Garments,  white,  143 

George  Third,  84 

Gideon,  118 

Glass,  sea  of,  141 

God,  the  Almighty,  221, 
228;  presence  of  in 
world,  57;  of  the  sobbing 
heart,  138;  the  task  of, 
177 

Gog  and  Magog,  130,  131, 
237 

Golgotha,  139 


Gomorrah,  111 

Greek,  John's  "crippled," 
65 

Greeks,  the,  30 

Group,  of  angels,  crea- 
tures, and  elders,  215; 
of  creatures  and  elders, 
235;  of  throne  angels, 
creatures  and  elders,  212 

Hamlet,  84 

Hand,    uplifted    a    fealty 

sign,  70 
Harlotry,  70 
Harlots,  mother  of,  230 
Har-Magedon,   61,   73,   117, 

129,  130,  144,  229 
Hayes,  D,  A.,  24 
Hebrew  children,  122 
Help,  heavenly,  221 
Helplessness,  human,  139 
Herald,  201,  217,  220,  224 
Herculaneum  and  Pompeii, 

68 
Hippolytus,  24 
Holofernes,  118 
Holy  City,  237 
Holy  Spirit,  241 
Hope,  new  yet  old,  97 
Horse,  black,  105,  147,  213 ; 

pale,  105,  147,  213;    red, 

105,  147;   rider  of,  155; 

white,  105 
Horsemen,  four,  151;   two 

hundred  million,  218 
Humanity,  defeat  of,  138 
Hume,  84 
Hundred    forty    and    four 

thousand,  224 

Immediacy,  46 
Irenseus,  24 
Isaac-Jacob's  ruse,  99 
Isaiah,  249,  109 

Jacob,  99 


INDEX 


261 


Jacob  and  the  Lion  of 
Judah.  178 

Jehu,  118 

Jeremiah,  248 

Jerome,  27 

Jerusalem,  and  Romans, 
185;   siege  of,  69 

Jesus,  sayings  of,  in  Mat- 
thew and  Apocalypse,  176 

Jews,  32 

Job,  34,  45 

Joel,  109 

John,  amanuensis,  141; 
author,  20;  and  redemp- 
tion, 181;  other  writ- 
ings, 116;  and  his  writ- 
ings, 166 

John,  the  Baptist,  167 

Jonathan,  118 

Joseph,  165 

Josiah,  118 

Judaism  and  Christianity, 
180 

Judgment  throne,  Ro- 
mans before,  157 

Justice,  poetic  and  victory, 
157 

Justin,  Martyr,  24 

Keeper  of  the  pit,  237 
King  of  kings,  127 
Kingdom  and  Christ,  75 
Kingdoms  and  Christ,  75 
Kings,   of   earth,    73,   155, 

229,  232;  armies  of,  236 
Kings  from  sun-rising,  74 

Lake  of  fire,  130;  and 
brimstone,  133 

Lamb,  Christ  the,  250 ;  Vs. 
Lion,  188;  marriage  of, 
46;  on  Mt.  Zion,  126; 
the  sacrificial,  168;  the 
slain,  211;  and  angels 
of  the  bowls,  172;  on  the 
throne,  192 


Laodicea,  message  to,  209 

Lasciviousness,  128 

Law,  the  giving  of,  110 

Life,  "the  greatest  thing  in 
the  world,"  148;  and 
love,  148;  river  of  water 
of,  239;  and  victory,  148 

Lion,  of  Judah,  211;  Vs. 
Lamb,  178 

Literalism,  43,  59 

Locus  t-horse-scorpion 

Lord  of  lords,  75 

Luke,  157 

Luther,  60 

Mains,  G.  P.,  58 

Man,    double   capacity   of, 

93;  and  moral  power,  91 
Mariners,  233,  (Ch.  18.  17) 
Mark,  Gospel  of,  148,  157, 

166 
"Mark"  of  beast,  224;   Vs. 

seals,  72 
Martyrs,  213;  under  altar, 

147 
Matthew,    Gospel   of,    148, 

157,  166 
Mediator,  139 
Megiddo,  118 
Merchants,  233 
Messalina,  70 
Michael,  122;  army  of,  222 
Milton,  154 
Moon,  the  bloody,  109 
Morale,  of  Christians,  33; 

in  trial,  36 
Moral  force,  180 
Moses,  142;  bier  of,  122 
Mount  Zion,  126,  224 
Multitude,  a  great,  231;  in 

heaven,  234;  the  number- 
less, 214 
Munkacsy,  77 

Name,  on  forehead,  126; 
the  new,  143 


262 


INDEX 


Natural  forces,  71 ;  and  the 
Lamb,  107;  in  supra- 
natural  procedure,  108 

Nero,  beast  from  abyss, 
230,  25;  statue  of,  67 

New  Testament,  a  life 
message,   149 

Nimrod,  122 

Number,  of  a  man,   125 

Numbers,  related  to  time, 
41;  the  book  of,  170 

Objective,  the  limited,  39 

Old  Testament,  39 

Omega,  81 

Origen,  24 

Origins,  heavenly,  210 

Pageant,  55 

Palmer,  Frederick,  50 

Patmos,  26,  137 

Paul,  149,  157 

Pergamum,  30;  message 
to,  205 

Persecution,  32,  33,  34 

Pestilence,  148 

Pests,  turned  to  allies,  71 

Peter.  157,  154 

Philadelphia,  30;  message 
to,  208 

Physician,  task  of,  177 

Pilate,  before  Christ,  77; 
and  Christ,  96 

Place,  the,  26 

Plagues,  46;  the  last,  127; 
seven  angels  of,  127;  in 
Old  Testament,  110;  in 
Apocalypse,  111 

Pliny,  27 

Pompeia,  Trajan,  70 

Poppae,  Nero,  70 

Porter,  F.  C,  36,  60 

Power,  100;  and  the 
throne,  98;  and  the 
chorus,  104;  episodes  of, 
101;   turned  against  the 


Christians,  90;  episodes 
of  and  redemption,  172; 
vocabulary  of,  98 

Pre-millennialism  and 
brute  force,  179;  Vs.  re- 
demption, 179 

Priesthood,  the  imperial, 
99 

Prophecy,  48 

Prophets,  220,  234;  false, 
49 

Propitiation,  168 

Prostitution,  royal,  70 

Proverbs,  142 

Ptolemy,  30 

Purchase,  169 

Purple,  the  royal,  79 

Purpose,  the,  23;  and  in- 
ternal evidence,  33;  of 
New  Testament,  books, 
28;  the  redemptive, 
163 

Queen,  74 

Raiment,  white,  155 

Rail,  H.  F.,  36 

Rameses  II,  118 

Ramsay,  W.  M.,  24 

Ransom,  169 

Redeeming  Lamb,  t  h  ^ 
basis  of  victory,  173 

Redemption,  by  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb,  170;  Vs. 
brute  force,  175;  centers 
in  a  person,  in  New 
Testament,  165;  and  the 
chorus,  186;  city  of,  133; 
and  drama  of  Revela- 
tion, 181;  and  ethics, 
165;  eternal  quality  of, 
174;  not  a  failure,  175; 
God's  permanent  policy, 
189;  moral  transforma- 
tion of,  180;  and  the 
New     Testament,     165; 


INDEX 


263 


and  oppression,  164;  in 
the  Old  Testament,  164; 
purpose,  174;  purpose  of 
eternal,  174;  purpose  to 
triumpli,  189 

Red  Sea,  111 

Resurrection,  109 

Revelation,  reporter's  ac- 
count of  drama  he  saw, 
55 

Righteousness,  hosts  of, 
198 

Rod  of  iron,  60 

Roman  Empire,  and  Chris- 
tianity, 125;  power  of, 
89 ;  attitude  toward 
Christianity,  63 

Romans,  30 ;  and  drama,  63 

Rome-Babylon,  184;  burn- 
ing of,  68;  city  of,  128 

Saints,  224;  in  day  of  trial, 
51 

Samuel,  111 

Sardis,  30;  message  to,  207 

Satan,  45;  accuser,  122; 
bound,  131;  craft  of, 
124;  craft  and  guile, 
152;  defeat  of,  144;  a 
defeated,  154;  a  diadem 
of,  124;  dumb,  146;  fail- 
ure of,  123;  fate  of,  156; 
dominancy  of,  45 

Saul,  118 

"Saviour  and  God,"  30 

Sea-going  folks,  233,  (Ch. 
18.  17) 

Sea,  no  more,  141 

Searprofiting  folks,  233, 
(Ch.  18.  17) 

Serpent  and  woman,  118 

Seven  churches,  119;  mes- 
sages to,  34 

Shakespeare,  67 

Shipmasters,  233 

Simeon,  165 


Sisera,  110,  118 

Slain   Lamb,    imparter   of 

power,   172;    and   sealed 

book,  171 
Smyrna,    30;    message    to, 

204 
Snowden,  J.  H.,  93,  180 
Sodom,  122 
Solomon,  111 
Song,  the  new,  224 
"Sons  of  God,"  30 
Sophocles,  64 
Spirit  and  Bride,  241 
Spirits,  three  unclean,  73 
Stars,  121;  falling,  61 
Stones,  twelve,  251 
Swete,  H.  B.,  35,  126 
Sword,    147;    the   flaming, 

142 

Tacitus,  27 

Teaching,  disguised,  64 
Temple,  at  Jerusalem,  69 
Ten  day  period,  41 
Terry,  M.  S.,  24 
Tertullian,  24 
Testimony  of  Jesus,  48 
Thousand  years,  the,  43 
Thothmes,  III,  118 
Throne,    of    God    and    the 

Lamb,  158;  the  rainbow, 

151;  of  Satan,  76 
Thrones,     borrowed     from 

the  devil,  77;  of  evil,  76, 

158 
Thunderings,   the   mighty, 

141 
Thunders,  the  seven,  218 
Thyatira,  message  to,  206 
Time,  of  the  book,  25 
Titus,  arch  of,  69 
Tradition,  current,  67 
Tree  of  life,  142 
Trumpeters,       102 ;        the 

seven,  216 
Trumpets,  the  seven,  69 


264 


INDEX 


Trumpet  voice,  202,    (Ch. 

L  10) 
Tyre,  132 

Unclean   spirits   orderlies, 

229 
Unknown  speaker,  219 

Vedder,  H.  C,  49 

Versions,  of  Bible,  81 

Vesuvius,   33 

Victory,  137 

Victory,  book  of,  143;  in 
earth,  155;  in  heaven, 
154;  with  the  Lamb, 
183;  ultimate,  145;  Vi- 
sion of,  140;  voices  of, 
145 

Vocabulary,  the  dramatic, 
86 

Voice,  another  from  heav- 
en, 232;  from  golden 
altar,  218;  great  in  heav- 
en, 220;  great  from  the 
temple,  227;  great  from 
temple  and  throne,  229; 


from  midst  of  living 
creatures,  213;  from 
throne,  235;  like  a  trum- 
pet, 210 
Voices,  213;  great  in  heav- 
en, 220;  in  heaven,  103; 
of  power,  106 

War,  phraseology  of,  116 
Waters,  sound  of,  141 
White    horse    and    rider, 

130 
White,  emblem  of  victory, 

151 
Wine  press,  the  bloody,  43 
Witnesses,    the     two,     41, 

108,  219 
Woman,    in    heaven,    221; 

and  newly  born  child,  42 
Word  of  God,  129 
Worship,  imperial,  31 

Zacharias,  165 
Zechariah,  93 
Zwinglius,  60 


Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 


1 


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